Evangelion: Double Threat
by ManicInsomniacFics
Summary: NERV and the world are more prepared, but the Angels are deadlier, showing us a glimpse of their potential as humanity's replacement. With multiple factions waging for supremacy, can Shinji and the other pilots maintain continuing existence? Or will they all fall to shadowy machinations... Featuring ideas from across the Eva franchise, this is an AU with brutal kaiju combat action!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Red waves lapped at a shore of grey stone and pure white snow. A stark contrast to be sure, and a big indicator of just how big an effect Second Impact had on the world, fifteen years ago. Even here, literally on the opposite side of the world, on the shores of the Arctic the oceans remained red.

With a shiver, Ryoji Kaji tossed the butt of his cigarette down into the crimson water, watching as it sank beneath the waves. There was a lot of red in his life he mused, glancing up at one the biggest contributors to that.

Two hundred and sixty feet of red-armoured humanoid cyborg stood quietly on the shore, glaring balefully inland. Currently, it was still tethered, a long cable as thick as he was tall attached to a port in its lower back connecting it to the nuclear reactor of the command ship he was standing on, but he knew it could be launched in mere moments, and knowing the pilot, it was only a button's push from being unleashed. Piloted by his young ward, one Miss Asuka Langley Soryu, it was one of the world's few Evangelions, monstrous war machines built to defend humanity from the Angels. And that was why he was here.

Well, officially of course.

As NERV's Special Inspector, he was there to oversee the capture of one of those very creatures. They were humongous beasts, as big as an Eva and apparently possessed with the desire to wipe out what was left of humanity, to finish off what Second Impact had started. That was all they knew, or at least, all they were told.

The Angel was the Third they'd found, although the first two were so heavily wrapped in secrecy even a lot of NERV barely knew of their existence. This one had been codenamed 'Iblis' and fortunately for everyone present, was currently trapped with several thousand tonnes of permafrost. The plan was to extract it and transport it to Bethany, NERV's Angelic Research branch and a prison purpose built to hold one.

Unit-02 was on hand as a insurance policy, but all going well, excavation would be finished within the hour and the Angel could be loaded upon the _Over the Rainbow,_ a supercarrier on loan from the UN for transport. The carrier was moored just a little further along shore, and had been anchored to five other smaller freighters. Each one had been fitted with an immense obelisk, experimental anti-AT Field technology, that when coupled with the freezing systems on board the supercarrier, would ensure the Angel remained dormant throughout the trip.

Kaji had his misgivings about the whole thing, but kept them to himself. The operation had been passed off by the Supreme Commander and the Security Council, both of whom he knew would not have done so without SEELE's say so.

He shrugged, giving Unit-02 one final look, then headed for the relative warmth of the command ship's bridge. As the Angel was being sent to Bethany, it had fallen to the base's commander to coordinate the effort, and Bart Schreiber was not afraid to put in a little effort, not for this prize. He had brought over what was functionally his entire command centre, the Ural II, a repurposed Russian warship, specifically to run the operation. Unlike other NERV Commanders, the man was undoubtedly a scientist, and a clever one at that, perhaps second only to NERV's founders and Ritsuko Akagi herself. As Kaji stepped onto the bridge, he fancied he could feel the excited aura the man gave off, one he had been maintaining for the last six hours.

He glanced at Kaji, practically buzzing with anticipation. "I will have to apologise to your ward, Mr Kaji," he all but gloated. "It seems we didn't need Miss Soryu after all."

"I'm sure she'll be rather disappointed," Kaji replied with an easy grin. "But it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Yes yes," Schreiber said rather dismissively. "That's what they said when I was told that the newly commissioned Unit-05 was to be posted in my base. Apparently they don't believe my pylons will do the trick."

"Call it a failsafe. We don't exactly know what the Angel might be capable of."

"True, but we will, Inspector. We will."

Ignoring the rather unhealthy gleam in Schreiber's eyes, Kaji instead moved over to glance at the technician's monitors. He leaned on the back of one particular pretty young technician's chair, offering her a roguish wink.

"Still all quiet there," he asked in accented Russian.

The girl blushed, but maintained her professionalism. "Yes sir, the Blue Pattern is present, yet still dormant."

He nodded, and straightened, glancing out of the window. Passed the waiting Evangelion, excavators had all but removed a mountain of ice and stone, revealing the Angel buried within. Kaji could best describe the creature as an odd mix between a tortoise and a snake, with a towering central shell and long segmented neck and tail. It was curled up, trapped within a ball of ice.

Around it, machinery was moving the sides of an armoured crate into position around it, massive armoured bulkheads filled with cooling systems. Three sides and the bottom had been fitted already, hours and hours of gruelling work going into the task. Swarms of engineers could be seen climbing over the construction, seeing to the locking mechanisms. The fourth and final side was being lifted into place, and with that, it would just be the small matter of getting the cage onto the _Over the Rainbow._

Kaji cringed when he thought about how much this whole endeavour had cost, and the sheer amount of destruction it had wrought up on the environment. NERV soaked up huge amounts of resources as it was, not counting its competitors, and there were always ongoing projects to restore the world to what it was, even fifteen years on. He just hoped it had all been worth it.

When she'd been told she would be heading up to the Arctic Circle with Kaji and Unit-02 to help secure an Angel, Asuka had been little more than ball of glee. Finally, after years and years of training exercises and simulations she was finally going to get to go on a _real_ mission. She was going to get to show off her abilities in combat with a _real_ Angel! What she had not expected was to have to stand on a barren shore watching NERV's engineers build a damn box around an ice cube.

And it was taking _hours_!

She'd done her best to prepare, to be ready for the worst case scenario, studying the Angel just in case. It was an odd creature, far different from the humanoid simulations she'd fought. The Angel's main body seemed to be a huge domed shell, a few stumpy horns crowning the top and eye-shaped markings on its front. Wrapped around it's body was a long tail and neck, scaled by the looks of it, and four legs could barely be seen beneath the shell. Asuka thought it little more than a mutant turtle, likely slow and ponderous, an easy fight.

If it ever happened.

Of course, planning strategy could only last so long, and NERV had yet to acquiesce to any of her requests for entertainment being built into her plug. She wouldn't need it they said, they longest you'll ever be in the plug is during sync-tests, when they needed her to not be distracted anyway. Bloody scientists.

Asuka had turned her attention to the fleet in the bay behind her. The ships present were different enough, the super-heavy cargo carriers rare enough post-Impact, but NERV and the UN had rounded up nearly a dozen to transport the equipment for this operation, her Eva included. The UN's pride, _Over the Rainbow,_ was front and centre, ringed by the haulers with their obelisks. She barely understood the science behind them, clever as she was, but knew of their effects since they'd tested their AT-Field dampening effects on her and Unit-02.

She moved onto scanning the legions of crew in the area, at least a little thankful that the Eva was keeping her warm. The men and women out on the shore wouldn't be so lucky, many of them red-faced from the cold. Asuka had a little moment of happiness as Kaji had appeared on the deck of the Ural II for a few minutes, but he'd disappeared back inside over half an hour previously.

The girl was just wondering if she could get away with taking a nap when movement caught her attention. Engineers were running, fleeing from the almost complete cage, jumping into vehicles or merely running frantically across the snow. Alarms were blaring across the fleet, spotlights swivelling around to bathe the cage in light.

It only took a minute for Asuka to realise what was happening, her skin tingling with apprehension. There was a deep rumbling groan followed by a sudden crack, like a lightning bolt had struck nearby, and then an otherworldly wail pierced the air. Vapour exploded out of the gaps in the partly closed cage and then the whole thing shook as if hit by tremendous force.

"Bringing Unit-02 to combat readiness!" Asuka snapped, hitting buttons and switches with long-practiced ease.

Unit-02 to responded quickly, straightening slightly with a low hum. Its four green eyes flashed, and its entire body shook as it flexed its fingers before clenching them into fists.

 _"Unit-02, aim to disable only. I repeat, aim to disable only!"_

"I know, I know," Asuka growled in response. As she did, she reached back up over her shoulder, tugging off the assault rifle that had been fixed to the Eva's armour.

The cage shook again, the nearest side shuddering and breaking free slightly from the rest. Then, a flash of light exploded out from within the cage and the side flew off, crashing down and kicking up small avalanches of ice and snow. From out of the mist rushed the Angel, sections of its icy cocoon still hanging to it. Contrary to Asuka's earlier assessment, the beast moved with surprising speed, skittering forwards on legs seemingly to thing to possibly hold its weight.

Asuka yelped with surprise and opened fire with her rifle, barely managing to get off a burst before the Angel bull-rushed her. Shells the size of cars raked across the Angel's shell, several missing completely and exploding against distant hilltops. Unit-02 fell to its knee as Iblis rushed by, seemingly only intent on escaping into the ocean, but Asuka was nothing if not a consummate fighter, and grabbed at is tail as it passed her with her free arm.

The Angel wailed in rage and shock, twisting its head around to glare at the red Eva. It's head was little more than a bone-white skull, the sockets seemingly empty, but they flashed and suddenly Asuka's right arm erupted in pain. Blinking stars out of her eyes, Asuka bellowed out a warcry and pulled the trigger of her rifle, only to have nothing happen. She glanced down to see the shattered, glowing remains of her weapon and tossed it aside.

She ducked another blast from the Angel's eyes, which exploded against a hillside with an impossibly cross-shaped explosion, and activated her prog-knife. In one smooth motion, Unit-02 ripped it out of its pylon mounting and jammed into the Angel's shell. The knife carved into the bone-like material, cracks appearing around the entry point and the Angel screamed.

With a mighty heave, Iblis lifted its tail and smashed the Eva against the ground, before spinning and blasting her with another flash of light. It turned and began to run again.

 _"Asuka! Are you alright?"_ Kaji's voice came in over the comms.

"Yes!" Asuka snapped back, more angry than hurt.

 _"Good. Listen, we're moving the obelisks to block its escape. We need you to hold in place for a moment."_

Unit-02 was already up and moving. "Understood!"

The Angel had reached the shore when Unit-02 leaped onto its back. With a wail, both fell into the surf. The Eva was up first, meeting the Angel's head with a crimson fist and forcing back below the waves. An uppercut caught it when it resurfaced, just in time for a volley of spikes from the Eva's left pylon to catch it along its scaled neck. It ducked the second volley, which instead buried into its shell. Eyes flashed again, but Asuka forced the energy into the air by grabbing its throat.

Iblis struggled as the red Eva's fingers tore into its throat. Asuka raised her fist for another strike only to be blindsided by the Angel's tail. She fell into the water backwards, losing sight of the creature momentarily as Unit-02's head dipped beneath the frothing waves.

 _"Asuka, stay down!"_ Kaji yelled.

A piercing whine cut through the air as the area was drowned in eerie red light. Asuka watched as the obelisks around them began to glow brighter and brighter, light pulsing around the structures as it flowed into the crystalline focuses mounted at the top. In response light fractured and then _shattered_ around the Angel as its AT-Field succumbed to the suppression field.

Asuka, not at the centre of the field but still close enough to feel its effects eroding her defences, forced Unit-02 to scramble back away.

 _"It won't hold long. Disable it!"_ She heard someone shouting aboard the Ural, and in response the fleet's military escorts opened up on the Angel. Explosive rounds and missiles pummelled the beast, raining blood and shards of bone into the bay.

 _"Asuka, the nitrogen tanks!"_ Kaji yelled.

She looked up and around. There was a large tanker in the fleet carrying thousands and thousands of gallons of liquid nitrogen for the express purpose of keeping the Angel frozen until they reached Bethany. It was nearby, the deck noticeable by the four large steel orbs mounted on it.

Not even thinking, she urged Unit-02 forward and grabbed the boat, bodily dragging the entire thing closer to the Angel, trying to ignore the shouts of its crew as they tumbled around the decks. With one arm, she lifted the ship's prow, aiming it towards the Angel, before stabbing at the foremost container with a finger.

Free of its pressurized containment, the nitrogen blasted forwards out of the hole, liberally spraying all over the Angel. The nitrogen boiled on contact with the air, quickly becoming clouds of gas, but still cold enough to freeze the Angel's ocean-soaked body. The Angel wailed as the ice took over its body once more, and still under assault of Schreiber's pylons it could not keep going, the light in its eyes fading to dormancy once again as ice enclosed its skull.

Asuka didn't waste time hanging around, as soon as the flow began to slow, she fell back, dragging the ship with her, before Unit-02 suffered the same fate. Already patches of ice were clinging to her armour.

Unit-02 fell down backwards, sitting in the chest-high water when Asuka stopped, panting heavily with exertion and excitement.

 _"We've got it, Asuka. Well done..."_ Kaji spoke after a moment. "W _ell done."_

Several hours later, in a dark cavernous office atop NERV Japan's pyramid-like main building, Kozo Fuyutsuki strode across the sephirot embossed into the floor and dropped a computer tablet onto Gendo Ikari's desk. The younger man looked up at his old teacher, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"Schreiber and Kaji just reported in," Fuyutsuki explained. "The Third is under containment."

Gendo nodded and pulled the tablet towards him, casting a perfunctory glance at the correspondence displayed. "Good," he said simply.

"Time to start preparing for the Fourth then?"

Gendo nodded again, then reached over to type something into a keypad built into his desk. There was a beep of acknowledgement followed by a hiss, then a small drawer opened at his side. It was mostly empty, but for a few documents, a dusty old photograph and a single envelope marked 'Shinji'. He pulled the envelope out, glancing at it for a second, then closed the drawer.

"You already know what to tell Akagi," he said smoothly, handing the envelope to Fuyutsuki. "Make sure that gets to Katsuragi... It's time my son faced his destiny."

A/N: _And there we have it, the Prologue to Double Threat, a chapter that the orginal version never even had. To those who see this as being familiar, you may have read it over at the Spacebattles Forums, or the previous upload on this site. I used to have another account, but can no longer access it, so believe me when I say, this isn't a stolen fic! I am the original author!_

 _This fic has been a labour of love for a number of years, though its still ongoing due to life and muse-abandonment. It's also taking longer as I've gone back to overhaul the older chapters to fit better with the story's direction and fix all my silly mistakes._

 _So, take this version as THE definitive version of the fic, hopefully fully proofread and satisfactory. I'll endeavour to keep this routinely updated as I clean up chapters, but remember, you can see the WIP version any time on SB._

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _Manic._


	2. Chapter 1 - Launch!

**Evangelion: Double Threat**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Two Years Later: Tokyo-3, 2017**

Shinji Ikari bit back a tired yawn, glancing once more at the clock on the front wall, just above the chalk board. He was fairly certain the minute hand had in fact gone backwards at some point, but couldn't be sure. Really, it was the teacher's fault, though the aging man couldn't really help that fact. For today's lesson, he was covering the technological advances that had gone into the making of the Tokyo-3, that allowed the city to exist and function as it did. For all intents and purposes, it was an interesting subject, Tokyo-3 was a marvel of science and architecture that demonstrated the very pinnacle of human ingenuity, but the old teacher's voice just had a low droning quality to it that made it hard to pay attention some days.

That, and more than any other student in Tokyo-3, Shinji got to see the inner workings of the city much more closely. Part of the perks of being the Second Child, an Evangelion Pilot, meant that he was making almost daily trips down into the geofront. In fact, he'd argue he knew much more than even the teacher about some aspects of the city, from the many access tunnels to which buildings were actually part of the city's defences.

He did strive to pay attention however, but he wasn't the only one struggling. The majority of students were slumped down in some fashion, a couple perhaps even on the verge of sleep. Only the class representative and a couple of the more studious students remained relatively alert.

An alert for a message popped up on his screen with a faint beep, flashing for his attention. Shinji blinked, lazily poking at his laptop's screen to maximise the message, thinking perhaps Kensuke had decided to pester him about how some part of the lecture related to the Evangelion. The sight of NERV's logo on the screen however caused him to sit up rather sharply.

 _'Priority One Call Incoming'_ the message said simply, and his phone began to vibrate in response.

"Teacher?" Shinji said, feeling a pit of apprehension growing in his stomach.

Mr Maruyama looked at the teenager, then glanced aside at his own laptop. He nodded, evidently having received his own notification. It was obvious who the message was from, there could really be nobody else, and everyone present knew what it meant, causing the room to become quiet and tense. The lazy atmosphere had gone and they were all seemingly looking at him, the teacher included.

Shinji tried to ignore it all and pulled out his phone, which was flashing a red fig leaf; NERV's logo.

"Hello?"

Misato's voice, firmly in Captain Katsuragi mode, responded. " _Shinji. The MAGI has picked up an Angel approaching the city. The JSSDF will be engaging any moment now, you need to make your way to Central Dogma and prepare for combat. An escort is enroute to pick you up at your location._ "

"Yes, ma'am."

" _See you soon,_ " Misato said quietly, dropping to a slightly softer tone momentarily before hanging up.

As if signalled by her call, sirens began to sound in the distance. The school's own PA system activated, advising all students to follow their teachers to the shelters.

For a moment, nobody reacted. Doing his best to retain a calm exterior, Shinji stood grabbing his laptop and his bag. His eyes swept the room, pausing briefly on his friends, Kensuke, Toji and Hikari. As his gaze met the latter, she seemed to snap back to reality and stood as well, brusquely beginning to rouse the other students into action.

"Ok everybody, we've done the drills. Line up and follow Mr Maruyama!"

/o\

* * *

\o/

Shinji left the school's gates at a run, looking up as several flights of JSDF VTOLs zipped overheard, and reached for his phone. A quick few taps, and he raised it to his ear, already patched into NERV.

" _Central Dogma, go ahead, Pilot,_ " a female operator replied. It was not Maya or the others for once, the senior operators would be too busy.

"Can you connect to me to my escort, please?"

" _Of course, one moment._ " The voice sounded tense.

A burst of static, and he was connected, the background noise changing from dozens of voices to the roar of a heavy engine. " _This is NERV T-1, go ahead._ "

"This is Shinji Ikari, I'm heading towards access Gamma-Three. What's your ETA?"

 _"Right now, kid._ "

Shinji looked up and was greeted by the sight of a military APC barrelling around the corner. NERV's logo was emblazoned on the side of the tan coloured vehicle in red, and Shinji stepped aside as it braked hard to a stop. The rear hatch was thrown open and Shinji was greeted by the sight of Sgt. Jushiro Asari, leader of the NERV's commando unit. The middle-aged soldier was outfitted in full combat gear, rifle and all.

"Get in!"

He waved Shinji into the troop compartment and the vehicle pulled away before the hatch was even entirely shut.

"You alright, kid?" Asari asked, speaking loudly over the roar of the transport's engines.

Shinji nodded a little numbly, and the man simply patted him on the shoulder and dropped onto the seat next to him. The teenager was thankful for that, too many people would push for him to talk about his feelings, but he could always count on the commandos to simply offer a bit of solidarity. As he looked around the compartment, the other soldiers assembled offered him smiles and nods, or even a wink and one thumbs up.

The teenager let out a small breath he hadn't been aware he'd even been holding, and settled back against the wall of the APC.

/o\

* * *

\o/

As NERV's pilot was safely taken down into the geofront, so too was Tokyo-3. One by one, the huge gleaming skyscrapers at its centre released their locks and and sank down beneath the surface, dropping into safer positions beneath dozens of armour plates. Flights of VTOL Fighter Jets rocketed over the city, joined by military convoys below, all heading southeast towards the shores of Old Tokyo. The city's civilians as well, long prepared with mandated drills, moved with relative ease as streams of people made their way towards the huge shelters NERV had prepared for them.

Miles away, in the sparkling red waters broken by the jagged peaks of Old Tokyo's buildings, a swell appeared. It grew larger and larger, a dark shadow the size of a ship, steadily approaching the shoreline. When it finally broke, there was the briefest glimpse of a dark-skinned monster with a face of bone, before a full battalion's worth of tanks unloaded a full salvo, obscuring the thing in fire and smoke.

Still it came on, flashes of orange light visible through the steady steam of ordinance. A larger flash parted the smoke for an instance, revealing the creature's baleful gaze, its form completely undamaged by the firepower directed at it. The cliffside exploded, tanks and men blown apart like tissue-paper. It began to walk now, wading through the surf with a hunched posture.

A trio of JSSDF naval destroyers emerged from the ruins and added their firepower to the assault, cannon and missiles and machine guns opening up as one, and still it strode on. A full flight of VTOLs crested the treeline behind the tanks and let loose, rocket pods pummelling the creature, and still it strode on.

With an almost casual swipe of its arm, it raked its claws across the hull of one of the destroyers, gouging deep holes in the metal and causing the vessel to list as small explosions rippled throughout its interior. Another flash, and another section of the tank line disappeared in fire and light.

It strode on, uncaring, unfeeling of the ordnance being directed at it. The creature reached the shore, looking down at the tanks with the hollow sockets of its bone mask. Soldiers were screaming, scrambling to get out of their vehicles and running in panic down the road. It leaned forward and swept its hand across the mountain road, scattering machine and man alike, sending many of them plunging into the ocean below.

The JSSDF's assault petered off, ships and aircraft steadily circling warily, slowly giving themselves a little distance. The creature seemed to notice the change, straightening and twisting its body about to survey the area. A whistling sound broke the air, indicating something heavy falling at great speed. The creature leaned back, glaring upwards, and its eyes met the flat end of a large metal object.

Its pilot screaming bloody murder to the world, the first Jet Defender landed like the fist of an angry god, its hammer meeting the Angel's AT-Field with a deafening gong, electricity sparking through the air between them.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Shinji had little idea of how the battle was faring above him. Sergeant Asari had told him that the JSSDF had decided to throw everything _including_ the kitchen sink at the Angel, but aside from distant rumbles of explosions the teenager could only imagine the spectacle occurring above. Presumably, it also meant the deployment of Jet Defender One, the second generation of purely mechanical Eva-scale warmachine.

The first had been a near-disaster, only narrowly averted by the efforts of himself and Misato in his first and only combat deployment. The 'Jet Alone Incident' had all but spelled the doom for NHCI, but they had managed to hold on and rebuild a new warmachine for the JSSDF. By all means, the Jet Defender was leaps and bounds an improvement over its predecessor, not least for it having a proper pilot to prevent potential… 'malfunctions' from happening again. Not that Dr Akagi was still anything less than scathing about its ability to actually stop an Angel, seemingly just because it wasn't an Eva.

His thoughts were swiftly drawn away from the other mecha upon entering NERV. The base, whilst always having been a heavily populated location, had become a hive of activity, with NERV, JSSDF and UN personnel running back and forth throughout the halls. It was especially apparent the closer he got to the Cages and Central Dogma, as a small army of people sought to direct the operation on the surface and also prepare Unit-01 for action.

As quickly as he arrived, he was whisked into the pilot's quarters to change and prepare. After donning his plugsuit and A-10 clips, he threw on his pilot's jacket for dignity's sake and was all but dragged to the cages. The beige-suited aide left him at the door to where Unit-01 waited, and saluted crisply. Nodding a little shakily, Shinji thanked the young woman and stepped through with no small amount of trepidation.

The room on the other side of the doorway was mostly dark, the dim safety lighting either side of the walkway providing little illumination. His footsteps across the metal floor echoed loudly as he made his way over to where Misato was conversing with Ritsuko Akagi, Head of Project E. Both women looked around as he approached.

"Good, you're here," the blonde scientist said briskly. "The Eva is all ready to go; we're just waiting for the order to mobilise."

Shinji nodded, barely looking at her. He found Ritsuko rather difficult to talk to, she always seemed quite cold and prim even with her best friend, and she carried herself with an air of superiority. It got worse after Misato had accidently let slip that the scientist's relationship with his father was less than professional. She scrutinised him for a second, then shrugged and tapped her computer tablet, causing all the lights in the room to flare up.

Shinji found himself staring face-to-face with Evangelion Unit 01. The walkway they were on allowed them to stand level with the Eva's head, and from its size it was obvious that the unit was several stories tall. Most of it was currently submerged in giant pool of LCL beneath their feet, its arms locked into the very walls as a restraint. He'd seen it many times over the years, but each time was similar to the first.

He felt very small, and very uncomfortable.

Its very existence made Shinji want to turn and run far away, compounded in no small part by the fact that the Evangelion was alive. Despite its appearance as a huge, purple-armour clad, humanoid robot, Unit 01 was in fact a cyborg. When he'd first arrived at NERV, Ritsuko had described it as an 'Artificial Human'. To Shinji, it looked like a demon of legend, helped in no small part by the angry looking helmet it wore, complete with a single pointed horn jutting out of its forehead.

It scared him. It scared him more than the idea of the Angels and Third Impact.

"Shinji." A deep male voice echoed throughout the room. Lights came on in the space behind the Eva, revealing a small room. Within it stood a tall, bearded man staring at them from behind tinted spectacles. Gendo Ikari had arrived. There was a moment of silence as father and son stood watching each other. To say they had an odd relationship was an understatement, and it looked as if Gendo was sizing him up.

"As you know, this is why I called you here," Gendo said eventually, his voice carrying despite how quietly he spoke. Gendo Ikari did not raise his voice. "You are one of the few with ability. Will you pilot the Eva against the Angel that threatens us?"

"Yes, father." Shinji's voice wavered slightly, but he kept his eyes on the elder Ikari.

Another pause. "Good." He turned to the two women. "Make sure he has been briefed and made aware of the plan."

"Yes sir," Ritsuko replied. "Lieutenant Ibuki is waiting for you in the briefing room for final checks. She will fill you in"

Shinji nodded, glancing one last time at his father, and started towards the changing rooms. Misato caught his eye and gave him an encouraging grin.

"Shinji?" Gendo said again as he reached the door. The teenager looked back quizzically; Gendo was giving him one of those weird, piercing stares that were slightly different to his usual glare. After yet another agonising moment of silence, he turned around and started walking away.

"Make me proud."

/o\

* * *

\o/

 ** _Two Years Previously_**

 _"The ultimate multi-purpose humanoid decisive weapon developed by humanity. The artificial human, Evangelion. This is Unit-01. It is mankind's final trump card," Ritsuko said dramatically, her arm flung out to indicate the gigantic cyborg._

 _"Is this my father's work?" Shinji murmured, utterly bewildered._

 _"It is." The reply came, not from Ritsuko, but from someone in the room behind the Evangelion's head. "It's been a while. Shinji."_

 _They all looked up, Gendo Ikari, Commander of NERV, stood there casually with his hands in his pockets. Somehow, even that looked imposing on the man, whose face was an implacable mask as he watched Shinji intently._

 _"Father…" Shinji breathed apprehensively. Suddenly, anger blossomed within him, forcing the boy to grit his teeth and look away._

 _An uncomfortable silence followed, broken only by Ritsuko. "Shinji Ikari."_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"You will be the pilot."_

 _"I-I…" Shinji stammered, whirling around to give her a look of disbelief before looking back to the man above. "Father? Why did you bring me here?"_

 _"It is as you have been told," the elder Ikari replied, almost dispassionately. "A great enemy is approaching. You will pilot the Evangelion against it."_

 _Shinji began to shake. "You want me to fight? Why Father? Why?"_

 _"You must. There is nobody else with the ability."_

 _"I don't like it!" Shinji exclaimed, his voice getting louder with every word. His eyes were watering, but he wouldn't cry. He wouldn't. Damn it, why was Gendo doing this to him? "All this time Father! I haven't seen you in three years! And the four before that! And before, and now... now this!"_

 _He felt his hands ball into fists, he was so angry. His father had abandoned him for all those years, tossed him aside like a useless hunk of meat. He pulled out the note from his pocket. The one that just read 'Come.' It crumpled in his trembling fingers. He had to say something. He mustn't run away. Shinji no longer felt anyone else in the room, only the gigantic presence of the Eva, stood between him and his father. He mustn't run away._

 _"I thought you didn't need me!" Shinji shouted. "Why now?"_

 _"You were summoned here because you will be required. That is all."_

 _Shinji took a deep breath, ready to shout again, but clamped down on it, lowering his head to stare at the ground. He mustn't run away. "Why me?"_

 _"Again, it's impossible for anyone else."_

 _"This is impossible." Anger crept back into his voice. "I can't do this, it's all too new, there's no way!"_

 _"It will be explained."_

 _"That's just… I can't!"_

 _"You are acting like a child. If you're not going to do this, then you are wasting my time." Gendo said, annoyance clear in his voice. "Go home."_

 _Shinji gasped at those last words. He'd thought he was finally going to be reunited with his father, he'd hoped for so much. All those years, despite everything… He mustn't run away, he'd resolved himself to seeing this through._

 _"I can't believe you, Father," Shinji said quietly, still staring at the ground in an effort to hold back the tears. "I thought that you finally wanted me back! I came all this way for that!"_

 _Shinji was shouting again, all of the emotion pent up over the years forcing its way out. He looked his father right in the eye as he spoke, and the tears flowed freely._

 _"When Mom… when Mom died I didn't understand what was going on. And then you sent me away as well. I didn't understand why I lost you both. I didn't know what I'd done wrong. I still don't understand! Why, Father? Please explain it to me."_

 _Gendo just stared, seemingly unaffected by the outburst. Shinji just deflated again._

 _"I miss her," Shinji sniffed, wiping at his eyes futilely. "I miss her so much, and I barely remember her anymore. It's so horrible, Father… I feel so alone… I'm all alone. Don't you understand what that's like?"_

 _Gendo said nothing, and only those who knew him well would know that he was frowning. Misato tried to step forward, to hold the boy or something, but was stopped by Ritsuko. Neither Ikari noticed, focused as they were on each other. The tension in the air was palpable._

 _Eventually Gendo just turned around and started walking away. Shinji fell to his knees, overwhelmed by a fresh wave of tears. Misato finally pushed passed Ritsuko and dropped down beside him, pulling him close and enveloping him in a hug. He looked so small in that moment._

 _"Shinji."_

 _The boy looked back up to the window. Gendo was nowhere in sight, but his voice could still be heard over the speakers. It almost sounded weary._

 _"Return tomorrow. We will have dinner."_

/o\

* * *

\o/

Misato and Ritsuko entered NERV's command centre together. Arranged across three separate levels based on rank, almost symbolic in its pyramid-like structure, the command centre was cavernous, the empty space filled with large set of holographic screens. The Commander had arrived before them, sat high above on the top level of the pyramid watching over the room in his trademark pose. Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki was stood just behind him, the old professor looking grim as ever as he watched intently.

At the moment the centre was a flurry of action and sound, technicians relaying updates in an incessant chatter. The main screen showed an image of the fourth angel, once more making its implacable march towards the geofront. Other screens around the room showed various other things; charts and graphs and various other camera angles of the Angel. Most of the right wall was dominated by those monitoring Unit-01 and Shinji's preparations however.

Misato spared a glance aside for the JSSDF generals, who were stood now in the side gallery. The three men looked thoroughly demoralised and ashamed. They'd had the entire resources of their country's military to use, and none of it, had provided more than an annoyance to the Angel. Only the Jet Defender had even been able to slow it down, brute forcing its way through the Angel's AT-Field with savage hammer strikes. It had even managed to rip bloody holes in the creature's strange hide with a burst of cannon fire. The mech too had fallen however, a burning wreckage of torn steel.

They had been about to resort to their final option, a strike from an N2 missile, but the battle had drawn far too close to the city, and the collateral was just too high for the moment.

So now it was NERV's turn, with the Angel now bombarding the armour plates as it crested the hills surrounding the city. If the Evangelion and NERV's Interception System could not finish it, then the Angel and everything above would be razed by a heavy N2 bombardment.

Misato would not let that happen. She did not envy the positions of the JSSDF Generals, and never wanted feel that level of failure, to feel that spectacularly useless. Nor did she ever want to know what it was like to lose so many men and women under her command. She followed Ritsuko over to their station on the second level of the command centre. The senior staff, to their credit, did not look up as they approached, calmly continuing with their work. Ritsuko headed straight over to the only female member of the senior bridge operators, First Lieutenant Maya Ibuki, to begin overseeing Unit-01's preparations.

"Captain?" Gendo said from his seat above.

Misato turned to him. "Yes sir?"

"The JSSDF has handed jurisdiction of this situation over to NERV. We have permission to mobilise the Evangelion. Launch when ready, and destroy the Angel at all costs."

"Affirmative!" Misato replied. She spun around. "Is Shinji ready?"

"Plug insertion has completed!" Maya replied rapidly. "Holding at a stable depth. Psychological contamination within the standard range. Holding. Primary Contacts initiating. Flooding entry plug."

Across the base, Shinji tensed as liquid began to drain into the plug, rapidly filling the small interior. "I hate this part…" he muttered to himself. He reluctantly allowed the LCL to fill his lungs, letting out an undignified sound as he did, an odd mixture of gargle and cough further distorted by the liquid.

"Main power source is connected." Shigeru Aoba reported. "Internal and reserve batteries charged."

"Initiating Secondary Contacts." Maya continued. "Connecting interface. A-10 neural connection nominal. LCL charge is normal."

The walls of plug became a wash of colour and light before Shinji's eyes, finally resolving into a view of the Eva cages. It was almost as if he was suspended above them in mid-air.

"Cognitive morphology is set to Japanese." Ritsuko said. "Opening communication channel."

"Checklist is all clear up to Number 1405. Measuring synapses… Synchronisation rate is 67.3 per cent."

"That's his best yet." Ritsuko noted, impressed. "The improvements to the A-10 interface and plug suit are working nicely."

"Harmonics are all normal. No instabilities."

"Good, we can do this," Ritsuko declared, turning to Misato, who nodded.

"Prepare for launch!" Misato ordered, echoed by Makoto Hyuga. The technicians began to disengage the locks holding the Eva restrained. "Are you ready, Shinji?"

"Yes, Captain!" Shinji replied, seemingly calm. The tension he was feeling was clear though, he sat stiffly in his seat and his knuckles were white where he gripped the controls. Beneath the Eva shook as it was carried towards the launch bays.

"This is what we've trained for. Your target is the Fourth Angel, designated Sachiel. You've seen what the Angel is capable of, but be careful; we might not have seen its full capabilities. We can provide fire support, but it's you that has to kill this thing, nothing else can."

"I understand."

"Remember, you must neutralise the AT-field with your own," Ritsuko added. "That is the only way you will be able to hurt it."

"We're placing you within five hundred metres of the Angel." Misato stared at him intently, wishing she could do more to help the boy. "Shinji, be ready."

"Unit-01 is in position," Shigeru declared. "Electromagnetic induction system is ready to fire."

"Launch path is clear. All green," Makoto confirmed.

"All launch preparations complete, Maya finished.

Misato glanced one final time at the commander's podium. Ikari nodded down to her, signalling to continue. There was nothing left to do but believe in Shinji.

"Proceed Katsuragi," he said.

"You're sure we made the right decision here?" Fuyutsuki asked quietly, leaning down slightly.

"I have to be," Ikari replied. "There is no other choice."

Misato stepped forward. "Evangelion Unit-01! Launch!"

With a sudden burst of acceleration, Unit-01 was propelled up the electromagnetic lift at ludicrous speed, travelling hundreds of metres from beneath the geofront to the streets of Tokyo-3. In his plug, Shinji groaned, knowing that the pressure would be a lot worse were it not for the shock-absorbing properties of the LCL. He was pressed deep into the foam of his seat, barely able to move from the g-forces arrayed against him. A small part of his mind imagined that he was being propelled purely by the hopes of everyone in NERV. Then, just as suddenly as it started, the Evangelion came to a halt, the cradle holding the giant cyborg slamming into buffer at the top with a crackle of spent electricity.

"Release final locks!"

Shinji felt the clamps release his, or rather the Eva's, shoulders. Unit-01 fell forwards into its more natural, slightly hunched posture. Full control of the titan was now his, and he felt a rush of adrenaline fill his veins at the thought of it, at odds with the cloud of apprehension and fear he felt. Tentatively, he flexed his fingers and willed his steed to reach out for the rifle sent up with him, head turning back and forth to survey the area.

The lift had taken him up to one of the main streets in the southern district of the city, the buildings there painted in brilliant oranges and reds by the setting sun. He knew the area, although the perspective from the eyes of the towering Unit-01 rendered it near unrecognisable. The effect was only compounded by the absence of Tokyo-3's usual bustling nightlife, giving it the feel of a ghost town due to the evacuation.

Directly ahead of him was the reason for it all. A monster, an abomination, the creature they called the Angel. It walked slowly forwards, almost clumsy in its gait, all spindly with too-long arms and hunched shoulders. Its almost-black skin gave it a silhouette-like appearance when against the fires of destruction it had left in its wake, and were it not for the bone-like growths sprouting from its body, the avian masks and the large red core, Shinji would've likened it to a shadow given form.

It stopped walking, halting just a few hundred metres away. It had no visible eyes but for the black holes in its mask, but Shinji knew it was watching him. He wondered if it was confused by what it saw before it. Did it feel what he felt?

In the distance behind the creature, he suddenly noticed a third titan lying against the hillside. The great gunmetal machine's chest and head was ruined, one arm torn off entirely. The massive thunder-hammer that was its main weapon lay off to the side, still attached to the power plant mounted on the mech's back. Rescue vehicles were visible around it, seeking to retrieve the pilot, but Shinji felt his fear grow at the sight, his breath quickening slightly.

"Shinji." A holographic screen popped up beside him as if in response, showing the other Ikari's bearded face. "For your mother."

The teenager nodded, swallowing his fear as he bared his teeth at the Angel. He raised the rifle squeezed the trigger, the gun barking loudly as he opened fire. He was Shinji Ikari, Second Child and pilot of Unit-01. He yelled the defiance of humanity, and the Evangelion roared with him.

Sachiel reacted to the incoming fire much as it had to every other piece of ordnance shot at it that day. It ignored it. Bullets bigger than the shells used by a battleship's main gun exploded against its body with no effect. Yet Shinji continued firing, burying the Angel in a cloud of smoke. It was a move he'd planned out with Misato, designed to rob the enemy of their sight, before attacking them from an unexpected angle. They'd wanted to keep this battle short.

"High energy reaction detected!" Shigeru's voice warned him over the comms.

The Angel evidently had other ideas, and Shinji quickly dodged left as Sachiel returned fire with beam of energy projected from its eyes, dispersing the smoke. The shot sizzled through the air, vaporising the Eva-catapult and burrowing into the building behind it which erupted in a colossal explosion. Fire and debris were thrown out in all directions and the shockwave was enough to collapse or severely damage several nearby buildings. The epicentre blew out in the shape of a great crucifix of fire and light, melting into armour plates below the streets.

"Hell! That's a lot more powerful than earlier!" Misato exclaimed.

"Indeed. Perhaps it has scaled up the attack for what it perceives as a stronger enemy?" Ritsuko replied, sounding both fearful and impressed. "We have very little actual combat data for the Angels. We have no idea what their upper limits might be."

"Can it hurt Shinji?"

"Direct hits will for sure," Ritsuko grimaced, looking at the power readings. "It might be able puncture the AT-Field without chance to reinforce a proper shield."

"You hear that Shinji? Avoid those beams at all costs!" Misato ordered.

"Understood," Shinji replied. He was breathing heavily, eyes wide with fear.

He gulped and threw the Eva out from behind the building he'd used as shelter. Abandoning the rifle, he charged forward, getting in close with the reasoning that the Angel wouldn't want to hurt itself with those blasts.

The surprise attack was not enough to catch Sachiel off-guard however, and the Angel turned to face the attack. Unit-01's fist connected with the AT-field, smashing through several layers of the large hexagonal shield, weakened as it was by the interference of his own, stopping mere metres away from the Angel's mask. Sachiel recoiled from the blow instinctively, and Shinji pressed the advantage, launching a volley of punches that shattered layer after layer of the Angel's defences. It fell back further from the assault, collapsing against a building.

The Angel raised its arm in a futile gesture as Shinji pulled back Unit-01's fist, the teenager grinning maniacally. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, enough to overwhelm the fear he felt earlier. The Angel was nothing! For all its fancy abilities, it had fallen beneath the power of his Evangelion. AT-Field or no, this Angel was about to die!

Then the palm of Sachiel's claw-like hand glowed, and a lance of pure energy lanced up into the Eva's fist. It pushed between the knuckles, burrowing into the flesh of the Eva's hand, coring straight up through the arm until it exploded out through its purple-armoured elbow.

Shinji screamed.

"Severe damage to right arm!"

"Cut the connections," Ritsuko shouted as blazing red warning symbols rippled into view across the walls.

"Sync rate has dropped 14.9 percent. Fluctuating. AT-Field has dissipated," Maya relayed, her voice shaky.

"High Energy Reaction!"

"Shinji, move!" Misato cried.

Unit-01 all but fell away from the Angel's energy beam, ripping its now limp right arm off of its skewer. The eye-blast clipped the shoulder pylon, melting the armoured plating, but it was ultimately harmless, flying off into the air.

Shinji forced the Eva to scramble to its feet, backpedalling away from the Angel even as it clawed at him. He cradled his arm to his stomach, fighting back the urge to whimper in pain. Even though the synchronisation had been cut, and he knew full well that it hadn't been his arm that was pierced, the phantom pain of the Evangelion's injury was still unbearable.

Sensing the advantage, the Angel kept coming, its once spindly arms now expanded like a parody of huge biceps as it clawed after him. Shinji clumsily fell back from its attacks, narrowly avoiding several more lance strikes.

"Shinji, you need to fight back!" Misato ordered desperately.

The teenager seemed unable to hear her however as he continued to back away. More attacks barely missed him, scratching deep grooves into the Eva's armour. And suddenly, he could go back no more. Unit-01 was pressed up against a building, fully at the mercy of the Angel's advance.

Like a juggernaut, Sachiel just did not stop. Its enhanced punch smashed right through Shinji's feebly raised AT-Field and buried the Evas head in the rubble of the building behind it. Seconds later, its other arm lanced him through the stomach.

Shinji's scream was cut off as he choked blood into the LCL.

"Massive abdominal damage. Synchronisation graph is fluctuating wildly!" Maya cried.

Ritsuko started typing furiously at a spare station. "Stabilise it!"

"No use. The circuits are breaking, it's rejecting the signal!"

Misato turned to Makoto. "What about Shinji?"

"He's alive, but he's on the verge of going into shock," the technician replied.

"Power's spiking, the Eva's going to shut down!" Maya cried.

"Eject the plug!" Misato was beginning to look frantic.

"It's no use, we've lost control."

"No! No, Shinji's still got control of the Eva," Ritsuko gasped. "He's just in too much pain to do anything with it."

"Use the city's defences, drive the Angel back!" Misato ordered. "We need to give him a chance!"

A battery of nearby cannons locked on and spit out a volley. Missiles were launched from silos further away. The ordnance exploded harmlessly against Sachiel's AT-Field, and with two blinks, the Angel vaporised the two offending weapons.

Returning to its prey, Sachiel began to lay punch after punch into the Eva's body. With the building collapsing beneath its bulk, the Eva twitched uselessly in time to the blows. Armour across its midsection began to crack and buckle beneath the assault.

Gendo stood up, leaning forwards with his hands on the table. He practically shouted at the monitor.

"Shinji, you will fight back. You will die if you don't!"

"Shinji, move!" Misato pleaded.

Whether the pilot heard, nobody truly knew, but Shinji suddenly let out a strangled scream that was more primal rage than fear. Unit-01 roared in response, blocking a punch from the Angel by the simple of act of grabbing its arm. It pulled on the arm, forcing it into an odd angle. There was an audible snap as the Eva pulled the Angel close and

Shinji pressed the Eva's demon-like mask up against Sachiel's own avian one. Hot steam billowed out from between Unit-01's teeth.

"Fuck… you…" he growled, and he punched that mask as hard as he could.

The Angel reeled, obviously in pain for the first time, falling back from the blow with its mask cracked.

"Circuits are realigning! Sync rate has jumped. 73.4 per cent with a 9.2 variation, AT-Field detected!" Maya cried.

Ritsuko stared at the readouts in shock. "Impossible! This isn't mere neutralisation, he's _eroding_ the Angel's AT-Field."

Still screaming, Shinji tackled the Angel and smashed it into the opposite building. Once more he was in control, and he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He pummelled the Angel down into the building, kicking down hard in addition to his punches. The Angel raised its arm again, but before it could even think of lashing out with its lance, Shinji stamped down on its elbow and savagely ripped the offending limb from its socket.

It tried to blast him, but Shinji grabbed its mask his hand and the beam exploded within, safely contained by his AT-Field and completely ineffectual against the Eva. He punched the now smoking mask again for good measure, then raised his hand up to his surviving shoulder pylon, which flicked open to reveal the cyborg's prog-knife. With an unintelligible battlecry, he stabbed down at the Angel's core, the blade dug into the orb instantly, sawing into the tough crystalline structure with an earsplitting howl.

There was a moment where the Angel just lay there limply as Shinji cut into its core. Then suddenly, as if finally realising the danger, Sachiel screeched, jumping up and twisting weirdly. The prog knife was wrenched from Shinji's hands as the Angel's form became more fluid. It wrapped itself like a snake around the Eva's head, curling into a ball.

A beat.

Then like a balloon, Sachiel expanded rapidly and self-destructed with all the force of a nuclear bomb.

Silence rang throughout the command centre, and for long moments nothing was shown on the view screens but static and warning signs.

"Signal returning…" Makoto finally murmured. The video flickered back onto the screen, flickering and hazy.

Evangelion Unit-01 stood in the centre of an ocean of blood and fire, debris raining down around it.

"Shinji…" Misato gasped. "He survived."

"The power of the Evangelion," Ritsuko said by way of explanation, awe clear in her tone. "This is the power that will save us all."

/o\

* * *

 _AN: And this is the part where I ramble about the fic. A behind the scenes if you will._

 _So here's the first change to the timeline, that for whatever reason, Sachiel did not attack in 2015, and in fact there has been no Angel attack since Asuka helped imprison the Third Angel Iblis in Bethany. The consequence of that? Two years of progress for Shinji, NERV, and the world as a whole. There are additions in technology and personnel, and most importantly, Shinji can competently pilot and has an apparently good relationship with his father.  
_

 _You'll get to see some of the butterflies in action with flashbacks, as I've done here. More will be alluded to over the course of the fic. The big one here is that I also referred to Shinji as the 'Second Child'. This is_ not _as mistake, and the reasons will be revealed as we go on._

 _Even NHCI got in on the action, building a successor to their failed Jet Alone, the Jet Defender. For those wondering, it basically looks like a bulkier Jet Alone 2 and has mounted cannons and a powerful shock-hammer. Unfortunately, it was not enough to take down Sachiel, but its not the last we'll be seeing of the mechs._

 _Finally Sachiel itself. This Angel is one of the most underrated I believe. Very often in fics I see it get curbstomped, usually in a effort to demonstrate how superior that fic's Shinji (or replacement) is to canon. I went with the opposite; a fully trained Shinji was able to beat it down, but it was close fought, and did not go without significant damage to the Evangelion. Because really, that's how powerful this Angel really is. People forget that it took a berserk Unit-01 to bring it down._

 _That said, the fight here will set a trend for the rest of the fic. I like visceral, dramatic fights. When I originally penned the fight between Unit-01 and Shinji back in 2013, I was literally on my feet pantomiming the moves, choreographing the fight step-by-step. I'm no trained fighter, but it added some level of realism to the combat that felt satisfying. I do that for a lot of things in this fic, whether it's fight scenes or conversations, all in the effort to make it feel natural.  
_

 _But I digress... Not one single Angel will be a pushover, and very few will be exactly like their canon counterpart. After all, if humanity has had two years to evolve... why can't the Angels have done the same?_

 _Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 2 - Connections

**Chapter 2**

Gendo Ikari sat at a desk in the centre of a dark room, positioned as was his custom, leaning forward on his elbows with his hands clasped just below his nose. Just behind him and to his right, Kozo Fuyutsuki stood silently, his apprehension hidden with well-honed practice. The two men were surrounded by seven floating monoliths, each one displaying only a logo and a number, underlined by the words 'Sound Only'.

They were merely holograms, but each one represented an extremely powerful and influential person, a member of SEELE. It was a highly secretive organisation, and the number of people who knew of their true existence could be counted on one hand. Yet SEELE was responsible for many of the events shaping the world over the past few decades, and arguably even long before that. They considered themselves the true masters of NERV and its predecessor, GEHIRN, and also the ones responsible for guiding humanity into the future. A mixture of prophets and kings.

"Two years late," said the monolith numbered 03. Its voice was distorted, disguising the speaker further. "We had thought that perhaps you had made a mistake in ordering the capture of the Third Angel, yet it appears the prophesied events still hold true."

"Of course they do," spoke 05. "The scrolls never lie, and instrumentality is humanity's destiny. It is inevitable."

"The Third Angel's capture works in our favour, and the delay means we are far more prepared," 07 added.

"Yet Unit-01 still suffered heavy damage against the Fourth," 02 interjected. "This is an unacceptable cost."

"It matters not," 01's voice rumbled, there was menace behind it, even in the simplest of words. "There is time enough to make repairs. So long as it can fight the Fifth, we can tolerate this minor issue."

"We will continue with Unit-01's deployment," Gendo added. "Akagi assures me the repairs will be complete within mere days."

"And there are other active Evangelion units available to us, Units 02, 03, 04 and 05 are all awaiting deployment," 01 continued.

Gendo's eye twitched, barely noticeable.

The fourth monolith spoke. "With this new attack, funds will be released and further construction of Evangelion units can progress as planned. We have the groundwork ready for what is required."

"It is all just a matter of time. Ikari, use whatever means you deem necessary to defeat the Angels," said 06. "NERV is yours to command, make use of the Evas available."

"Do not disappoint us," 01 spoke again. "Defeating the Angels is merely the first step. The Human Instrumentality Project must be completed to fulfil Lilith's contract, our ultimate goal for humanity."

"Understood, everything will go according to SEELE's scenario."

Nothing further was said, and after a moment, the monoliths began to blink out of existence, leaving the two NERV commanders alone in the dark. Then, the shutters over the windows began to retract, letting natural light into the conference suite. Gendo exhaled slowly and removed his glasses, pinching at the bridge of his nose. It was a sign of weakness, and one he would permit in front of nobody but his old teacher. Fuyutsuki coughed uncomfortably, then turned to lean against the desk, his old legs creaking.

"Can we really do this, Ikari?" The old man crossed his arms, frowning.

"We have to."

"Unit 03 has a pilot?"

Gendo replaced his glasses and glared at where the first monolith had been. "I doubt it's been long, I'll likely be informed about it later today."

"Still, a pilot chosen by SEELE? Seems like a rather overt move on their behalf."

"A test to see how we react. We will need to tread carefully, but I'm not overly concerned. As long as we have Unit-01 we can proceed. We can _win_."

/o\

* * *

\o/

Shinji remained in the geofront for several days after the battle at Dr Akagi's request. The scientist had wanted to run a number of post-combat tests, much to the teenager's disappoint. He heard her say something about a borderline and 'berserker', clearly being concerned about contamination, but he largely didn't understand it. He didn't feel any different, just in a little pain. Mostly, he was just welcome for the chance to rest.

The blast from the Third Angel's self-immolation had rendered him unconscious, but he and the Eva were otherwise unscathed by the final attack. His injuries from earlier in the battle were merely sympathetic, and outside of some bruising he was intact. Instead, he felt drained. Exhausted. The fight in total had taken less than a few minutes, despite feeling like an hour, but the strain and stress of it all weighed on him more one of Asari's boot camps. He ached from head to toe, feeling the way Unit-01 looked.

The Evangelion, still exuding its quiet yet oppressive strength, had paid for its triumph. The purple armour plates were scuffed and dented, several of them buckled inwards. Yet more were missing entirely, removed to allow access to the damaged flesh beneath. Its stomach and arm, where it had taken the devastating strikes from the Angel's lances, were swathed in bandages and odd-looking equipment to facilitate regeneration. He almost felt sorry for it.

Despite all that, once freed from the geofront, Shinji only took a single day of recuperation at home before returning to his normal life and school. It was a relief really; being stuck at the apartment had been an odd experience. Misato had been acting weirdly around him since he had come back, almost distancing herself from him. She'd been slowly returning to her normal, eccentric behaviour towards the end, but he'd still been glad to be back amongst his friends.

Of course, that had been anything but simple, and felt for all the world like he'd gone back in time. When he'd first arrived in Tokyo-3, he'd been a nobody; even the crazy theories concerning a transfer student had been relatively low key for him.

Then came what was known as the Jet Alone incident. The giant robot had been intended as a rival to NERV's Project-E by Japan Heavy Chemical Industries. It was a more traditional robot, built with supposedly more stable, proven mechanics as opposed to the Evangelion's relatively new biotechnology. Unfortunately, in its first demonstration, the robot malfunctioned. Set on a collision course with Tokyo-2 with its nuclear reactor set to explode, NERV was forced to deploy Shinji in Unit-01 to delay Jet Alone long enough for Misato to climb aboard to shut it down.

They'd been named heroes after that, and with the demonstration and subsequent disaster being reported by the media, most of the world knew about the events. It was something that had made Shinji hugely uncomfortable. He just wasn't used to all the attention. School had amplified that greatly, with Shinji's classmates openly hero-worshipping him. Kensuke in particular had gone crazy over the whole thing, the military-geek following the pilot around and bombarding him with questions about the Eva and Jet Alone.

In the end, Hikari had stepped in as class president to get the students to stop harassing him. She'd also employed Toji as muscle, knocking heads of a few of the more stubborn fans. Somewhere down the line he'd become Shinji's bodyguard, sparing the pilot from the worst of Kensuke's fanboy-worship. Even that hadn't been without an ulterior motive though, as apparently Toji's little sister, Sakura, had taken a liking to the young pilot.

Two years on, it had all died down and Shinji was almost just another student besides his occasional piloting related injuries. His status was known, but with the Eva itself only making rare appearance, it was easy to forget Shinji was anything more than another student. The Angel's attack and rather obvious destruction of a portion of the southern district had brought the adulations back though. Shinji had spent most of the morning cringing behind his desk whilst Hikari shouted and Toji cracked his knuckles.

He was relieved by the time lunch time came around and he could go hide up on the roof. His three friends had joined him, the group enjoying one of Shinji's famous packed lunches. It was nice to sit in silence for a few moments, even if that had been enforced by a large textbook to the back of Kensuke's head.

"Are you sure I can't be a pilot?" Kensuke finally blurted out.

"Aida!" warned Hikari, her eyes narrowing.

Shinji chuckled weakly. "It's ok Miss Hikari. I'm sorry Kensuke, but I don't make the decisions, I'm just a pilot."

"But you could put in a good word for me with your Dad." Kensuke smirked. "Or even Miss Katsuragi…"

That earned him another glare from Hikari, which was enough to distract her from the fact that Toji was suddenly eating with amazing focus. The two boys had been drooling over Misato since they'd met her, though Toji studiously denied it, especially since he and Hikari had started dating.

"It's not up to Misato either." Shinji explained. "And my Dad is way too busy to bother with requests like that."

Kensuke pouted in disappointment, but Hikari looked sympathetic.

"Still not talking properly?" she asked gently.

Shinji shook his head. "We talk, and I see him at least once a week. It's just… awkward. I sometimes wonder if we'll ever recover from spending so much time apart…"

"You will Shinji, I'm sure. It'll just take time. I guess he just doesn't have chance for much, being commander of NERV seems like a full time job."

Shinji nodded slowly, frowning slightly. Toji sighed had punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"Cheer up, Mr Big Shot Hero. So ya Dad's a creepy guy who can't talk ta people? Maybe ya need to drag him outta his office and go do a little father-son bonding?"

"Maybe…"

/o\

* * *

\o/

 _Two Years Previously_

 _Dinner was served in Gendo's office, situated high up in the pyramid of NERV headquarters, where large floor-to-ceiling windows gave a commanding view of the geofront. The room was excessively large and mostly empty apart from Gendo's desk and chair, though an extra dining table had been brought in for them to eat at._

 _They were sat in the centre of some odd design on the floor, of which Gendo's desk was at the head. It intrigued Shinji somewhat, but it was much too big to see clearly. He'd seen lines and circles and archaic-looking text, but felt uncomfortable trying to study it, as his father seemed to be watching him constantly._

 _Dinner had so far been a silent affair, aside from a stifled greeting. Shinji was refusing to look Gendo in the eye, instead focusing on his plate. The boy ate distractedly, pushing the food around his plate more than actually eating it. Every now and then, he'd steal a glance upward, only to see his father eating rather formally, appearing to frown at his son as if trying to puzzle something out. It was hard to make out much however; the glare from the windows had rendered the elder Ikari as little more than a silhouette._

 _About half way through the meal, Gendo suddenly set down his fork. He cleared his throat, and leaned forward on his elbows._

 _"Have you decided to stay here in Tokyo-3?"_

 _Shinji blinked at him, starting a little at the unexpected words. "I-I… I have not." He dropped his gaze, scowling at his plate._

 _"I see," Gendo paused for a long moment. "You should. There is a purpose for you here."_

 _"The E-Ev… Evongell..."_

 _"The Evangelion. Unit-01. You are it's pilot."_

 _Shinji shook his head. "But why? I'm no fighter!"_

 _"You will learn. We have people who can teach you. I also intend to have the First Child assist."_

 _"First Child?" Shinji finally looked up, his face questioning._

 _"It is how we refer to Evangelion pilots. You are the Second Child," Gendo explained._

 _"I-I thought you said there was no-one else!"_

 _"I did not lie. You are the only one who can pilot Unit-01. The First Child is based in Berlin. As we are expecting an attack any day now, it would take too long to transfer the First Child and her Eva to Tokyo-3."_

 _"I still don't understand father."_

 _"There is nothing to understand. You are the only one with the ability to pilot Unit-01. It is linked to you. If you do not, we are defenceless."_

 _Shinji bowed his head once more, seemingly shrinking into himself._

 _"You asked me here just to use me," he mumbled._

 _"I asked you here to fulfil your destiny."_

 _"I don't want to talk about this."_

 _"You will pilot the Eva, Shinji."_

 _"I came because I thought you were finally going to talk about Mom," Shinji suddenly snapped._

 _Gendo remained silent._

 _"I don't even have a photo of her. The only thing left is that grave…" Shinji sniffed, giving his father a pleading look. "Please, tell me something about her."_

 _Gendo just stared at his son for a long moment, his face a mask. Eventually, Shinji grit his teeth and got up to leave._

 _"Your mother loved you very much," Gendo said softly to his back, his voice strained._

 _Shinji stopped mid-step, tensing up and shaking slightly._

 _"I miss her more than you could know," Gendo continued. "I would do anything to bring her back to me."_

 _"W-why did you destroy all of her things…?"_

 _Silence again. Shinji spun around._

 _"Why is it so hard to talk to me, father?" he shouted._

 _Gendo looked up at his son; tears streamed from the boys eyes. He closed his eyes and stood up, his movements deliberate, almost robotic. Slowly, he began to walk back to his desk._

 _"Return to your quarters, Shinji."_

 _Shinji fled._

 _The fight or flight instinct within him exploded, and he simply ran. He didn't hear the surprised gasp from the receptionist, or the cries of alarm from NERV personnel he passed by, he just ran. Uncontrollably, he wept, years and years of grief and longing yet again pouring out in an uncontainable flood._

 _He had no idea where he ran, or for how long, but it came to an end when he was suddenly enveloped in a comforting hug by a young woman in a black dress and red jacket._

 _"Come on Shinji, let's get you fixed up…"_

/o\

* * *

\o/

That night, Shinji decided to cook a special dinner, pulling out all the stops to cook a nice spicy curry. It was a favourite of Misato's, and so something the teenager hoped would fix whatever problem was affecting her, and bring her back to normal self. He'd made it extra hot for her too, just the way she liked it, and hoped it was worth the effort of making two separate meals, his own curry much more mild.

Somehow though, it did not seem to be working. Sure, when Misato had returned home she had still greeted him and smiled, but the only conversation was mere small talk. She was enjoying her dinner, washing it down with one of her favourite beers, but it all still lacked her usual exuberance.

Eventually, Shinji just couldn't handle it any more. He could expect such behaviour from his father, with their rather formal and awkward relationship, but not from Misato. She was so much more than just his guardian and commanding officer, she was his best friend.

"Miss Misato, have I done something to offend you?" he asked.

The woman looked up, hand raised and ready to wave off the question, but then she saw his face. Shinji was regarding Misato with a very serious look, a faint frown creasing his brow, his eyes intense. She dropped her arm and looked down, ashamed.

"No Shinji, you haven't done anything wrong."

"Then why are you suddenly acting different around me? Ever since the attack…"

Misato put down her fork and regarded him sadly. "The Evangelion has always scared you, hasn't it?"

"Err, y-yeah…" Shinji replied, caught off guard.

"It scares me too," Misato admitted, which surprised him. "But whenever you were in control, it always seemed much less terrifying. It's hard to explain…"

She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Then the other day, when the Third Angel attacked..." She went silent.

"Miss Misato?" Shinji urged, leaning forward.

"You scared me Shinji, you really terrified me. Rits said there was some psychological contamination between you and the Eva. I thought it had infected you, turned you into some bloodthirsty monster. Watching the way Uni-01 tore into the Angel…" She shuddered uncomfortably, leaving out the fact that it'd given her nightmares. "I'm sorry, Shinji. You're my responsibility, I have to send you out there in that thing that you hate so much. This is just the first, we have no idea how many are coming after us. I'm so worried that something will go wrong and you'll die or go insane. Shinji, I…"

The teenager interrupted her tirade, moving around the table to embrace her.

"It's ok, Misato," he murmured. "I'm ok."

She leaned into him, head against his chest. "I know, Shinji. I know what the reports said. I'm letting my fear get to me."

They stayed like that for a moment, until Misato pushed him back and stood up. She put her hands on his shoulders, so they were stood eye to eye. She studied him for a moment, an odd look in her eyes.

"I sometimes forget how old you really are," Misato said with a grimace. "I look at you and only see the scared little boy I first met, lost in the outskirts of Tokyo-3. But you aren't, you're quickly becoming a man. Just two years and now you're looking after little old me."

Shinji smiled modestly. "You look after me far more than I do you, Miss Misato."

She rolled her eyes at that, the boy was so self-effacing. Misato studied him again, leaning in so close that their noses almost touched. Suddenly she grinned and pushed him down, ruffling his hair as she did.

"Look at us, so serious. We're family remember? We don't need these theatrics. Let's finish this amazing dinner and play some video games!"

Shinji grinned back at her, Misato's energy was always infectious. He watched as she downed the remainder of her beer with a gasp.

"Let's eat!" she cried.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The next three weeks passed without incident, with life returning to what basically approximated as normal for Shinji. Were it not for his injuries, the hero-worship from his fellow students, and the one day where Dr Akagi managed to pin him down and complain about the damage Unit-01 had suffered, the pilot would've assumed that the Angel had never attacked.

His injuries, coupled with the Eva's repairs meant that aside from a few sync tests, meant he barely even needed to visit the geofront. Instead, he spent most of his newly free time with his friends. It was refreshing to have something closer to what most people considered a normal life. His only real worry was the idea of trying to bond with his father, and how he would go about it.

He'd even gotten an email from the First Child, a typical Asuka Langley Soryu message.

 _"I saw your fight. That was sloppy, Second. I thought I'd taught you better, but you won I guess, so well done. Try and do better next time though, else you'll make us pilots look bad."_

It had given him a laugh, the text easily conveying her tone and voice into his mind. He knew the German pilot was incredibly jealous regarding him getting to fight first, so he'd take the congratulations in whatever form they came. In all honesty, he'd have gladly let her fight in his place, the girl was certainly gifted when it came to combat.

Unfortunately, fate had other things in mind.

His NERV-issued mobile rang during the lunch break, as Shinji watched Hikari yell at Toji for asking to copy her homework, Kensuke laughing at them beside him. The group's antics stopped almost instantly, as they all turned to stare and the device. Shinji answered it with some trepidation, almost reluctantly answering the call after it had rang several times. He listened for several moments as a NERV communications officer told him he was to make his way to the geofront immediately.

It was quickly made clear why, as the evacuation sirens started to sound just as the call finished. Memories of the last attack flooded his mind, and it took him a moment to remember to hang up, his hands shaking slightly as he did so. Seeing that, Hikari grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly, pressing the button for him and she did.

"Be careful, ok?" She said softly. "We all believe in you." Shinji blinked and nodded, taking a deep, calming breath.

Toji stepped up and wrapped an arm around his neck, putting the shorter boy into a headlock. "Kick its ass! Ok, Ikari?"

Shinji flailed around for a moment, and then managed to wriggle out from under Toji's arm, massaging his neck. Toji just grinned at him. Finally, Kensuke stepped forward, though he seemed to be struggling to find something to say.

"Remember, hit its weak point for massive damage!" he blurted after a moment.

Hikari sighed exasperatedly, but the two boys burst out laughing. Kensuke flushed bright red.

"Thank you, Kensuke." Shinji said, smiling. He took another breath, feeling more assured. "Thanks, all of you. I'll see you later."

Shinji set off at a run, his friends leaving in the opposite direction as they headed towards the school's shelter.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The evacuation of the civilians was a smooth operation, with most of the entire population of Japan's secondary capital able to make their way into the armoured access tunnels within ten minutes or so. It was an often overlooked feat of human ingenuity when set against the backdrop of Tokyo-3 and NERV, but it was by far one of the most important. As a fortress-city, it had be quickly prepared for any sudden combat situation, and so the safe removal of civilians was of paramount concern.

Within half an hour of the confirmation of an Angel sighting, the shelters were full, locked and guarded against attack. As soon as the civilians were clear, the city began its transformation. A full eight districts of buildings and skyscrapers were quickly retracted into the armoured skin of the geofront. In their places, gun and missile emplacements were raised up out of their moorings. Even in the surrounding areas, camouflaged buildings folded out to reveal huge cannons whilst bulkheads opened in the hills, uncovering missile silos. Spread out amongst it all were more fake buildings emblazoned with the NERV logo. All of them housed either an access shaft from the Eva cages, or acted as a resupply point for the Evangelions. Each one held various Eva-scale weapons and ammunition, or power relays with backup umbilical cables to keep the units in the fight.

Tokyo-3 had entered battle-configuration. It was an arsenal that could repel armies, and it had been designed to stop things much worse. Fortunately, the Third Angel's attack had inflicted little damage to the city's defensive grid, with much of its attentions being focused upon the JSDF forces and Evangelion. Three weeks had been enough to facilitate repairs and replacements to the city's defence grid.

All of it was now pointed at the new threat. The Fifth Angel had appeared much as its predecessor had, suddenly and without warning. It approached the city from the east, attacking Tokyo-3 from the across the ocean. Unlike the fourth, it did not emerge from beneath the ocean, but instead drifted above the red waves at a somewhat leisurely pace.

When the Angel finally made landfall at Odawara, it was met by a sky filled with death. Every weapon at NERV's disposal with an angle opened up a full power, yet for all the sheer force of the defensive bombardment, the Angel simply ignored it. The massive bombardment that could easily level a city exploded harmlessly against it's AT-Field as it floated inexorably closer towards Tokyo-3.

"It's a bit of a waste don't you think?" Makoto said as the bridge crew watched the display.

"It satisfies the government," Misato said, stepping up behind his chair. Makoto jumped, causing the woman to flash a cat-like grin. "It is frustrating to throw away all this ammunition for no reason though."

"The government is demanding that we launch the Eva,

" Shigeru reported from the side.

"Of course they are…" Misato sighed with annoyance at the idea they wouldn't launch the one thing that could stop it. "What's the status on Unit-01?"

"Pilot is inserted, just checking the connections," Ritsuko replied. Behind her, Maya monitored the activation process, once more reading out her liturgy of updates.

"The Angel?"

"Approaching the city border now. ETA, 3 minutes." Makoto said. The main screen altered to show an aerial map of the city, the angel's predicted path and a timer appearing upon it.

"Move Unit-01 to the launch pads. We'll launch to intercept."

/o\

* * *

\o/

The entry plug was like a cocoon of calm amongst the chaos of NERV's combat preparations, something Shinji was thankful for. He sat quietly, eyes closed as he breathed slowly, feeling the LCL flowing through his lungs. It helped somewhat to calm his nerves and quell the idea of running and hiding. As soon as he'd donned his plugsuit, memories of his previous fight against an Angel had filled his mind. Ever since, he'd been fighting to hold back his fear. He wouldn't repeat the mistakes he made against the Third Angel. He knew how close he'd come to dying back then.

There was a jolt, and the support frame holding Eva began to move towards the launch tubes. He opened his eyes slowly, watching the through the Eva's eyes the path he was taking, getting a sudden flash of memory, of pain…

His arm twitched unconsciously.

" _Evangelion is in position,_ " he heard Lt. Ibuki say.

" _Shinji, are you ready?_ " Misato asked him across the radio.

It took a moment to reply. "Yes, Miss Misato."

" _Good. We've designated the Angel 'Shamshel'. We're going to send you up within one of the armoured buildings for a surprise attack. Cancel out the AT-Field quickly and then attack the core._ "

"Understood."

" _The Angel has yet to show any abilities other than flight and it's defensive AT-Field. Exercise extreme caution._ "

" _Shinji, the repairs to Eva's armour weren't quite complete,_ " Ritsuko added. " _So we've outfitted Unit-01 with the F-Type gear. It'll slow you down, but it increases your defensive abilities quite a bit._ "

Shinji nodded. He'd noticed the extra armour plates covering the Unit-01 as he'd entered the Eva-cages. It made the gigantic cyborg look a lot more robotic, all the heavy plating and hard angles. Already, he could tell that Unit-01 felt heavier through his bond with the Evangelion via the sync process.

" _Do your best Shinji,_ " Misato commanded. " _Launch the Evangelion!_ "

He was pressed into his seat by the sudden burst of acceleration. The Evangelion rocketed up the chute and tremendous speed, coming to stop almost as suddenly as it started. As Misato had said, the lift had deposited him within a building, huge armoured shutters opening in front of him to reveal the Tokyo-3 skyline. The final clamps were released almost simultaneously.

" _The Angel is advancing down the street to your left,_ " Misato said. " _Go, go now!_ "

With a shout that was pitched a little higher than he'd have liked, Shinji flung Unit-01 out of the building and into the street. He threw his arms up, gesturing as he extended his AT-Field out to meet the Angels own. As the two barriers clashed and pushed against one another, Shinji got his first proper look at the Angel.

For lack of a better word, Shamshel was weird. Whereas Sachiel had possessed a humanoid, if disproportioned shape, the fifth could be described as being rather like an insect or crustacean. It hovered several metres off of the ground, held aloft by unknown means, appearing to simply hang in mid-air in defiance of the concept of gravity. Its main body was a long and cylindrical, the red flesh appearing opaque due to a purple glow emanating from it. Two oddly shaped arms hung from near the top off this, either side of a cavity, which exposed a spine and rib cage. Attached to the spine were ten segmented legs that moved in a creepy, undulating pattern.

Its 'head' hung down from the top of it's main body, a spade-shaped mass that featured eye-like markings. Its true head, a bone mask similar to it's predecessor's, was hidden behind this, visible only during flight. The 'head' also protected the Angel's core, which was visible just above the Angel's legs.

Shinji felt fear mixed with revulsion, this Angel was truly alien.

The air between the two titans warped and shimmered in response to the energies vying against each other. Bolstered by focusing emitters in the armour, the Eva's quickly matched and equalised the Angel's. The warped air seemed to shatter into nothing as they cancelled each other out, rendering both combatants vulnerable to conventional attack.

The instant the fields were neutralised, the building beside him sprung open to reveal an assault rifle. Shinji grabbed at it, quickly bracing it against his shoulder. He squeezed the trigger twice, two bursts directed against the Angel's core. Shamshel shifted to avoid the attack, and instead the bullets exploded against the flesh of its 'head'.

The Angel screamed like a wounded animal, a mix of pain and surprise, the sound grating and discordant. It's arms twitched, and only reflex saved Shinji as all of a sudden, the Angel lashed out with a pair of energy-wreathed tendrils, grown almost instantly and without warning. The attack ripped through buildings either side, scoring deep lines through concrete and steel with ease, barely missing bisecting the Evangelion.

Shinji stumbled backwards a few steps before regaining his balance, at the same raising his rifle again and pulling the trigger. Nothing happened however, and the boy looked down in shock to see that the rifle had been cut in half by the Angel's attack.

He tossed the remains of his weapon futilely at the Angel, and it cut the broken gun out of the air with the tendrils and lashed out at him again. Unit-01 fell back further, the attack carving burning scars into the plates of the F-Type armour. They never stopped moving, constantly snapping out like whips, able to cut through anything and everything with ease.

A horizontal strike came at him and again he was forced to duck aside quickly, his movements clumsy and frantic as he tried to avoid the unpredictable attacks. Shinji began to panic, doing anything he could to avoid having to experience the same agony he had before. The Angel drifted after him implacably, every missed attack slicing apart buildings and carving up the roads.

With the Angel pushing Unit-01 further and further back from its deployment point, it was only a matter of time before the power cable being dragged along beneath them got cut by Shamshel's whips. The thick cable sparked as it split, and warning indicators sprang up throughout the cockpit in response to the sudden loss of power. A timer appeared beside the pilot, instantly starting to count down from eight minutes.

" _Power cut,_ " Shigeru reported as the command centre flashed with similar warnings. " _Backup power is active._ "

NERV had always struggled with the Evangelion's massive power requirements. There had been talk of mounting N2 reactors directly, as the Jet Mecha had done, but for many reasons it had been deemed too risky. Instead, the Evas relied on umbilical cords supplying power directly from the geofront's power stations. It was the Eva's biggest weakness, forcing them to rely on the internal battery and a mere five minutes of power should the connection ever be cut. Years of development time had decreased the requirements and attached smaller secondary batteries to the unit's standard A-type armour set. With the F-Type armour possessing it's own built-in batteries, further power was available, but overall gain only totalled three minutes.

Shinji's fear grew, and Unit-01 crushed a building as it tripped trying to avoid the whips. He scrambled through the rubble desperately, narrowly avoiding more attacks.

" _Shinji, calm down! It's slower than you,_ " Misato told him quickly. " _Back away, and make for point E2-Beta. We're sending up another weapon._ "

Indicators flashed up to the side of Shinji's vision, a second rifle had been sent up to a munitions point further down the street. Forcing himself to breathe, he backpedalled quickly, keeping the Angel in his sights. Shamshel followed menacingly, its whips snaking wildly through the air. Taking the fresh rifle in hand, Shinji opened up, spraying the Angel with a hail of bullets in attempt to slow it down.

Even without its AT-Field, the Angel was far from defenceless. It waved its tentacles through the air in front of itself, cutting the bullets clean out of the air. What few made it through impacted against the shield of it's head, inflicting only minor damage to the Angel's tough flesh.

He continued to back away to avoid the Angel's continuing attack, firing as he went. Its whips sliced through the munitions building causing it to explode, but Shamshel continued on, ignoring the burns as much as it did the continued hail of bullets Shinji sent its way. Already, the wounds caused were beginning to close as the Angel's rapid regenerative abilities kicked in.

"I'm never going to kill it like this," Shinji said, dismayed by the uselessness of his attacks. He was calmer now he could keep out of range, but Unit-01's power was depleting rapidly, and any umbilical he could reach would be cut up just as the first had been.

-o-

"We need to neutralise those energy whips," Misato growled, biting a nail as she watched the viewscreen intently. "Any ideas?"

"Nothing," Ritsuko said, scrutinising what data she'd managed to gather. "The whips are definitely solid, but we're having trouble reading the energy surrounding them. They appear similar to the Fourth Angel's lances though."

Misato glared at the monitors for a second, wishing for some way to allow Shinji to get in close. She stared at the Angel, searching for some weakness. Then, her eyes widened and with a predatory grin she reached forward to grab at the microphone next to Makoto.

"Shinji!" she shouted down the microphone. "Go for it's arms! Rip 'em off!"

The teenager could be seen to blink in shock. " _I can't get close enough for that._ "

"We're disengaging the F-Type so you can move faster. Get to point Delta and take the sonic glaives," Misato explained, gesturing to the bridge crew even as she spoke the words. "Go now."

-o-

There was a hiss, and clamps all over the Eva disengaged, causing the thick armour plating of the F-Type armour set to fall off of Unit-01, smashing heavily to the ground. Instantly, the power readout dropped another couple of minutes, but Shinji felt lighter and more agile, although unfortunately more exposed to the Angel's attacks. He dropped the rifle along with his armour, and got moving.

Yet again Unit-01 lead the Angel on a merry little chase across the city in the direction of another munitions building. Heavily armoured shutters had folded open several blocks away, revealing a rack of sonic glaives, spear-like weapons that utilised the same technologies as the Evangelion's built-in progressive knives. Shinji grabbed two off of the rack and turned around to face Angel.

" _We're going to provide a distraction, Shinji,_ " Misato relayed to him. " _Move on my mark only._ "

"Yes, Miss Misato."

He was breathing heavily, large ragged gasps that were a mixture of exertion and fear of being sliced apart by the Angel. Even if they missed his plug, the sympathetic damage would be excruciating, perhaps even lethal. But he had to do it; he was Tokyo-3's only defence. Misato and his friends, his father, they all depended on him.

In the distance, batteries of turrets, built like those fitted to battleships, turned to face the Angel. Their barrels erupted with fire and smoke, and a hail of shells rocketed towards Shamshel. The Fifth Angel was taken by surprise, focused as it was on destroying the Evangelion, and a flurry of explosions impacted against its shell. It screamed again.

The cannons began to reload, but NERV wasn't finished, as the nearby hills erupted with a storm of missiles. The Angel turned to intercept them, it's energy whips reaching towards the sky.

" _Shinji, attack!_ " Misato ordered.

The teenager shouted a battle cry and Unit-01 surged forward, gripping one of the glaives like a lance. It stabbed into the Angel's lower body, just below its legs, cutting deep and splashing the Eva with the Angel's blood. Shamshel reacted quickly, even as its one tendril cut missiles out of the sky, the second swiped at its attacker. It cut through the shaft of the offending weapon, but Shinji ducked below the attack and lashed out with his second glaive.

The blade cut into the Angel's relatively fragile arm, cutting the appendage clean off. It fell to the ground, and whatever energy had surrounded it dissipated, leaving the tendril inert. Another agonised scream sounded, causing Shinji to grit his teeth.

Ignoring the cannons still gouging chunks into it's shell, the Angel wrapped its remaining energy whip around Unit-01's leg and lifted the Eva clean off of the ground. With impossible strength, it spun, smashing its foe through a row of buildings. It spun again, pulling the Eva in an arc through the air, before smashing it down hard into the ground. It repeated the motion, slamming Unit-01 down into the concrete, gouging out a huge crater. Shinji screamed with every bone-breaking impact.

A final swing saw the Evangelion thrown down the street, where it ended up buried in another building. Dazed and bruised, Shinji coughed painfully as he regained his feet. His ankle burned where the tendril had gripped the Eva. Through the clearing dust kicked up by his landing, he could see the Angel giving chase once more. He reached for the glaive, only to find it missing, lost somewhere in the assault.

"I'm running out of time," he gasped. The timer was rapidly approaching his final minute of power. "Misato, give me another distraction!"

Unit-01's shoulder pylon folded open, and Shinji took hold of the prog-knife.

" _What? Shinji, no!_ " she cried, but the Evangelion was already charging. " _Do it! Fire, fire, fire!_ "

The shells tore into the Angel, setting its body aflame, but Shamshel was not concerned by NERV's attacks, not with such a great enemy before it. Unit-01 charged straight forward and the remaining tendril shot out to meet it, stabbing straight into the cyborg's chest and through its back, missing the plug and core by mere metres.

At the same moment, the progressive knife cut into the Angel's core. Shinji let out a strangled yell that was part pain and part anger, pushing forwards and driving the knife deeper into the crystalline structure. The Angel withdrew its tentacle, rearing back for another attack and eliciting another gasp of pain from the pilot. Shinji was quicker though, his second knife deploying and withdrawn in an smooth motion that cut a deep gash into Shamshel's remaining arm.

The energy around the tendril stuttered out, somehow disrupted by his attack, and Shinji took advantage of the respite, to push harder. The Angel twisted and writhed, seemingly in panic as the knife sawed deeper into its core.

"Die damn you, die!" he growled, taking his hand off of the second knife to push harder on the one embedded in the core.

Long seconds passed until finally, the smooth crimson surface shattered. Fractures spread across its structure like glass, and the Angel's movements stopped. It's body, with nothing to keep it aloft dropped down to the ground. It teetered there for a moment, until like a felled tree it tipped back, ripping the knife from the Eva's hands as it went. The corpse of the Fifth Angel came down onto the streets of Tokyo-3 with earth-shaking crash.

Shamshel was defeated.

Seconds later the timer reached zero, and Shinji was plunged into darkness.

/o\

* * *

 _AN:_

 _And so we reach the end of the second chapter, and the second fight against one of the Angels. Looking back, this fight, coupled with the one against Ramiel, are the ones least altered by my deviations from their canon incarnations. Mainly, all that is missing here is Shinji's inexperience, and the need to save Toji and Kensuke, as that part of the story was rendered moot by the time-skip._

 _Instead, the none-fighting portion was taken up by Misato's reaction to seeing Shinji pilot for real. Sure, he's had two years to prepare, piloted plenty of times even, including against the original Jet Alone (which went as per canon mostly), but last chapter was the first_ real _test for Shinji. Now let me be clear, that wasn't a berzerk Eva. That wasn't Yui intervening to save her son, that was all Shinji._

 _That said, I do think Misato was perhaps to quick to brush off her misgivings. After all, she's spent near two years with a shy, kind and gentle young teenager, and then she sees him hulk out against the Angel whilst piloting the abomination that is an Evangelion. Maybe the misgivings will pay off down the line._

 _Anyway, thanks for reading. Remember to please give a review with your thoughts and commentary on the fic so far. I'll see you in the next chapter!_


	4. Chapter 3 - The Potential Within

**Chapter 3**

 **Two Years Previously - NERV Japan Synchronisation Test Chamber  
**

 _The darkness lifted as the Evangelion began to power up. Shinji fidgeted in the pilot's seat, his outfit the plugsuit felt strange. Whilst not entirely uncomfortable, it was made of an odd material that fitted close to his skin, and he felt practically naked in it. And the odd feeling was about to get worse._

 _"Filling the plug with LCL," he heard a young woman's voice announced, and in response, thick, orange liquid began to fill the small cylindrical space rapidly._

 _Shinji could only stare in mute surprise as it crept up his body, but as it rose up to his chest, he began to panic._

 _"Relax," a no-nonsense voice sounded over the internal speakers. He vaguely recognised it as belonging to the stern blonde scientist he'd been introduced to. "It's oxygenated, meaning you can breathe it just like air. Relax and let it fill your lungs."_

 _Shinji thought that was easier said than done. It was incredibly difficult to convince his body not to fight against imminent drowning. The liquid was thick and sticky, not at all like air in his opinion, and hard to breathe through. It filled his mouth, tasting extremely odd, familiar yet not, and stung his nostrils. With a gasp, the last of the air in his lungs rushed out of his mouth and nose, leaving him feeling like he'd coughed lemonade through them._

 _He groaned, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable. "I...is this really necessary?" he asked, surprised at how easy it was to speak._

 _"Absolutely," the scientist, Akagi he thought, replied. "Not only does it facilitate easier synchronisation, it acts as a shock absorber to keep you safe. It is also very good for your body, and facilitates faster recovery should you be injured."_

 _"I-in-injured?" Shinji stammered._

 _"Relax!" Akagi said again, this time a lot more forcefully and, Shinji thought, a lot less helpfully._

 _He tried his best to follow her orders though, attempting to focus on the plug's interior rather than that of his lungs. The seat was comfortable, and seemed to mold itself to his body, holding him securely. A smooth console sat between his legs, flanked by a pair of butterfly controls. A number of buttons of unknown purpose dotted surface of the console, but it didn't seem enough in his mind to control the huge cyborg._

 _The plug was otherwise empty, and surprisingly roomy. It had at first seemed tiny and claustrophobic when he had entered, especially next to the Evangelion, but then most things would. As his eyes scanned over the smooth, featureless walls, they suddenly erupted into a dizzying array of colour. It was like sitting inside of a kaleidoscope._

 _He realised the control room was now filled with voices, barely heard over the comms, reporting back on connections and synchro-graphs and a whole bunch of stuff Shinji barely understood. Every now and then he would hear Doctor Akagi give a command, but he was too transfixed by the rushing colours to pay her much mind. The more he watched, the more it was as if the colours were deepening, more and more reds and blacks mixed in as they began to rush past him. A voice in the back of his mind was panicking, feeding off of the alarm of those in the control room, their voices now a distant murmur as if from the far end of a long corridor._

 _A huge wave of vertigo hit him and suddenly it was if he was simultaneously falling and still in his seat. He felt as if he was being dragged down a pipe full of rushing water, somehow aware he was thrashing around in blind panic. The bottom of the plug, close yet far appeared for all world like a huge, gaping maw of ancient, boundless hunger. It roared at him, a sound that split his skull and set the liquid surrounding him to boiling._

 _It wanted him, he knew, it needed to consume him, every last fibre of his being to be torn apart and devoured by the ravenous beast whose realm he had trespassed within. Clawed hands in their hundreds reached up for him, grabbing and ripping at his flesh. He tried to fight, tried to swim against the current, but it was futile, and every second the pain grew and more and more of him was torn away and..._

 _Light._

 _He opened his eyes to blinding light. The beast was gone, and the silence was deafening for its absence. He was floating now, floating weightlessly in crystal-clear water, the surface impossibly smooth, unmarred by ripple or wave._

 _The sky above was a pale blue, not a cloud in sight, and as he watched the Earth floated into view. Not the Earth as he knew it, with its red seas and blighted southern pole, but pristine, with deep blue ocean and clean white ice caps. The Moon drifted around it lazily, beautiful in its silver-grey desolation._

 _Without even looking, he could tell he was naked, but for once he was not bothered by it, unconcerned at being exposed to the world or where his plugsuit might be._

 _He floated there for what seemed like an eternity, utterly at peace, completely safe. When arms reached for him again, he relaxed into them, and they wrapped around his chest from behind, tight and comforting and warm. He heard a voice singing to him soothingly, a voice half-forgotten._

 _Shinji allowed himself to fall into that lullaby, and his eyes drooped as he let out a contented sigh..._

 _"Synchronisation established, all systems stable..." he heard the technician say with no small amount of confusion and relief._

 _He opened his eyes, and the now calm kaleidoscope flashed white, revealing him to be stood within a huge room. A small window across from him was filled with tiny people working at computers, and a number of gantries surrounded his body... his giant, purple-armoured body. A huge hand was held up in front of his eyes, the shredded remains of thick reinforced steel restraints dangling from his wrist. Past it, he could see a fist shaped dent in the bulkhead, only meters from the window at the people beyond it._

 _Within sudden awareness he realised he was seeing Unit-01's body, not just his own. He could see through both the cyborg's eyes and the displays within the plug. See that in his panic he'd somehow commanded the Evangelion to lash out, tearing free of its bonds._

 _Without really understanding how he did it, he lowered his... the Eva's hand, and glanced at the window, now recognising Misato and Doctor Akagi on the other side. The scientist was conferring with several of the technicians whilst Misato looked on apprehensively, but after a few moments stepped forward and grabbed a microphone and cleared her throat._

 _"Well done, Shinji, you've successfully synchronised with the Evangelion. How are you feeling?"_

 _"I-I… good, Miss Katsuragi. I'm ok." Shinji replied after a long pause. He meant it as well, for the first time in forever he felt inexplicably comfortable and safe._

 _"Glad to hear it," the Major said, relief plain in her voice. "Now, just hold tight, we're going to run a few diagnostics and then get practicing movement, ok?"_

 _"Y-yeah. Ok."_

 _"Let's begin, then…"_

 _Later that night, exhausted both physically and mentally from having to relearn even basic motor-functions, for the first time in ten years Shinji dreamed. He dreamed, of Yui Ikari, he dreamed of his mother._

/o\

* * *

\o/

Sergeant Jushiro Asari had always been a simple man. He'd served his country throughout the strife following Second Impact, witnessing some of the worst atrocities mankind had to offer. He'd never let it get to him however, always remaining down to earth, always able to see the good in people.

To many under his command, he was father figure. So somewhere along the line picked up the moniker, 'Uncle Ju', much to the sergeant's dismay, being only in his late thirties.

When NERV had decided that it would rather rely on its own armed forces rather than the JSSDF's, Jushiro had been handpicked by Major Katsuragi. The younger woman had remembered him from her own training days, and chosen him for his leadership and team-building abilities. Despite Tokyo-3's status as a fortress-city designed to repel gigantic alien invaders, Jushiro had jumped at the opportunity to move his family into Japan's second city and its better quality of life.

Since then, he had worked closely alongside Katsuragi to develop and train a close-knit group of commandos. The unit's role was mainly to provide heavy-duty security for high-ranking NERV staff when Section 2 wouldn't be enough. Unofficially, they were NERV's frontline defence against ground-level threats, something Misato had thought the organisation sorely lacked.

Both of them never hoped it would be necessary.

After Shinji Ikari's arrival, the sergeant had gained a new job; training the young pilot to fight. The boy had been a mess when he arrived, small, shy and lost. Seeing how alone he was, 'Uncle Ju' had quickly taken him under his wing trying to encourage Shinji to open up as well as teaching the teenager how to defend himself.

Now he was seeing the fruits of his labours.

The sergeant had seen the footage of both fights. The sheer power the Evangelion wielded as it traded blows with the monstrous Angels made it all too easy to forget that it was the gentle and modest Shinji Ikari at the controls. He'd heard the boy's screams of pain and fear during each fight and it horrified him to have been part of the pilot's training. Child soldiers had been common during the post-Impact wars, but now?

Like Misato, Jushiro had trouble seeing the young Ikari as the adult he was fast becoming, the boy ever fourteen in his eyes. It pained the soldier to see him sent off to fight, knowing it was impossible for him to take the pilot's place and spare the young such hardship.

Seeing the fallen form of the Fifth Angel made him wonder if he would've been able to fight in Shinji's place however. He'd seen the Evangelion hundreds of times, but seeing the sheer mass of the dead Angel's corpse awed him. The devastation caused by the two titans fighting was unimaginable; it looked like a full military operation had rolled through town.

It took the sergeant a few moments to realise he was staring before he closed his mouth. Adjusting his helmet, he walked over to join the rest of his squad. They had been sent to protect the technicians recovering the pilot's plug from the now inactive Eva and then escort the boy back to headquarters. They saluted as he approached.

"Quite the sight, eh Sarge?" One of the men, a Corporal Tsuramaki said as he approached.

"It's something…" Jushiro allowed.

He looked up to where Unit-01 was stood. Despite being slumped down due to the loss of power, it appeared to still be glaring at the Angel. Against the dwindling light of the setting sun, it looked disturbing. Why they'd had to make it look like a demon he would never understand.

At least he wouldn't have to be here for long, the plug had already ejected from the Eva's back. Above it, a VTOL transport was hovering, trailing heavy cables. Men in hazard suits were crawling over the Eva and attaching the lines so the plug could be lifted to safety.

As they waited, Jushiro had his men form a defensive perimeter around the drop zone. Eventually, the plug was lowered into their midst and technicians ran over to open and drain it.

Shinji Ikari exited the plug coughing and spluttering. He took two shaky steps to the side and promptly threw up, LCL splashing onto the concrete. One of the technicians handed the pilot a towel and a bottle, and he quickly wiped his face and hair.

Jushiro walked over just as Shinji was gargling water from the bottle.

"Still tastes like crap I take it?" He said kindly.

Shinji gave him a wry look. "Yes sir."

"So you still haven't asked Dr. Akagi about flavouring?"

"She'd drown me in it." The pilot looked horrified at the thought. He found the scientist difficult to talk to.

Jushiro handed him a jacket, knowing that the plugsuit not only lacked dignity, but left much to be desired in the keeping warm department. Shinji thanked him gratefully. Satisfied the boy was alright, or as much as he could be, Jushiro pointed at his waiting 4x4.

"Come on, kid. Let's get you back to HQ."

/o\

* * *

\o/

Following the excitement of the Angel's attack, Central Dogma was much more subdued. The senior staff and most of technicians had left, their jobs finished. The small army had been reduced to a small skeleton crew, leaving only those necessary to compile the combat data and coordinate the cleanup efforts.

Even Maya had gone, dragged off by an excitable Dr. Akagi. The recovery of an intact Angel specimen had the scientist practically foaming at the mouth. Ibuki's departure with her 'senpai'' had left Makoto and Shigeru alone on the upper bridge.

" _We have retrieved the Second Child. Returning to base._ "

"Roger that, sergeant," Shigeru replied.

The technician was bored, simply waiting for his station to finish compiling and saving the communications records. He could've helped Makoto with the data analysis concerning the Angel, but the other man was oddly protective of his work, and Shigeru didn't want to get in his way. Sighing, he raised his arms in front of him, as if holding an imaginary guitar, and 'played' a few notes.

He got so into his imaginary song that when the alarms started blaring, he almost fell out of his chair.

"What's going on?" he shouted.

Makoto was typing furiously. "It's… Impossible, Pattern Blue re-emerging! It's not dead!"

/o\

* * *

\o/

A low keening wail split the air, a sound inhuman and angry. Shinji bolted upright from where he was slouching tiredly in the back of Sergeant Asari's 4x4, his exhaustion quickly forgotten. He looked around frantically, grabbing at the seat in front of him.

"W-What was that?" he yelped.

Jushiro turned, frowning. He gave the pilot a look before turning to the driver.

"Tsurumaki, slow down," he ordered.

With a grunt of affirmation, the corporal ground the 4x4 down to a crawl, before stopping completely. Jushiro stood up in his seat, gripping the vehicle's roll-cage, as he peered back down the street. He watched carefully, examining the deserted roads for any signs of a disturbance or sudden attack, but could see nothing. Only Unit-01's head and shoulders looming above the rooftops looked out of place.

He blinked, confused but wary. After a moment, he looked back down at Shinji and shrugged.

"Probably some malfunctioning alarm in one of the destroyed buildings," he guessed, sounding unconvinced.

A huge explosion lit up the evening sky. Smoke and fire appeared in the distance, billowing out from the behind the building near the Evangelion. Seconds later, sporadic gunfire and shouting could be heard from the recovery site. The three looked at each other in alarm.

"What on earth…" Jushiro began, then grabbed his radio, shouting. "What the hell is going on? Report!"

His radio squealed and crackled. " _Sergeant… The Angel, it's…_ " The transmission was cut off as the man on the other end screamed in agony.

"Corporal? Yamashita… respond!" Jushiro cried again. The radio only crackled in response. "Fuck!"

Shinji began to shake, looking scared as he stared at the smoke. He flinched at every scream, feeling utterly defenceless outside of his Eva. Jushiro reached over to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. He felt just as scared, not knowing what was going on and fearing for the lives of his men. Beside him, Tsurumaki was checking his rifle was ready and in easy reach, the other man looked grim. Nodding to acknowledge the soldier's preparedness, he took a deep breath and tried his radio again.

"Central Dogma, come in. This is Sergeant Jushiro Asari. What's the situation?"

/o\

* * *

\o/

Central Dogma had once more become a hive of motion and sound, technicians scrambling to gather information and call back everyone normally around during an Angel attack. In retrospect, it would be deemed an unacceptable display; that mankind's first and only defence had relaxed simply because the Angel lay dead.

Misato came sprinting in minutes after the alert had sounded, soon followed by Ritsuko and Maya. She ran right up behind Makoto.

"What's happening?" She asked frantically, staring in disbelief at the various displays.

"Pattern Blue has re-emerged from the Angel's corpse," Makoto replied. "It's assaulting our teams on the ground. We're struggling to get any more information."

"Impossible…" She frowned. "Get a drone in the air, I want visuals."

"Already on it."

"Shinji?"

"Sergeant Jushiro has him. They're on standby roughly 700 metres from the disturbance," Shigeru replied. "Reporting gunfire and loss of contact with the rest of the team."

"If there was an Angel, he'd see it. They aren't exactly small." She looked around at Ritsuko, who was already typing furiously at the next station, Maya at her side. "Right?"

"There's definitely an AT-Field present. It's interfering with our instruments," the scientist replied.

"Blood pattern seems altered somehow, but it's still a match for the Fifth," Maya added.

"I don't care what it is, just prioritise recovery of Unit-01 and its pilot," Gendo barked as he arrived, Fuyutsuki in tow. "Use whatever means necessary until we can regroup."

"JSSDF is demanding to know the situation," Shigeru reported.

"They'll have to wait, this is still under NERV's jurisdiction," Gendo snapped. "Katsuragi, you've got command."

"Yessir. Tell the JSSDF to standby," Misato replied. "Have the rest of our commando units rendezvous with Sergeant Asari. Send a chopper for Shinji, I want him out of there ASAP."

"Drone is in position," Makoto relayed, sending the video up to the main screen. "Link is active."

The image showed them the scene, a ruined portion of the city with Unit-01 stood over Shamshel's corpse, it's plug on the ground. The Angel's core was shattered, leaving just a hollow crystalline shell dripping some sort of viscous fluid. All around the area, equipment lay scattered and forgotten as technicians fled the area in panic.

NERV soldiers were scattered around, firing their weapons almost non-stop at something hidden behind the Evangelion's shadow. One commando came sprinting out from behind it, only to be caught from behind by something. It killed the man instantly, cutting him two from shoulder to the opposite hip.

"What the fuck is that?" Misato cried.

/o\

* * *

\o/

A final scream signalled the return of silence, leaving only echoes of the short battle that had taken place. At the 4x4, both soldiers shifted uncomfortably, shouldering their rifles to aim back down the street. They'd gotten restless in waiting for the helicopter, so Sergeant Asari had gotten out the vehicle and walked back down the road a few paces. He itched to return, to fight alongside his men, but he had to remain with Shinji and do his job.

Jushiro looked over at the boy, still sat in the back of the 4x4. He'd given the pilot his sidearm, to use in case of an emergency. Shinji had had some basic firearms training, it had been necessary as a pilot, but Asari doubted the boy's ability to actually use it against an attacker without the Evangelion as a buffer. Still, Shinji had calmed down now, even if he remained tense and apprehensive. Jushiro's heart went out to the boy, he understood full well what the teenager was feeling.

His ears pricked up as he heard the 4x4's radio garble something, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned to give Tsurumaki a quizzical look.

The other soldier grabbed the radio. "Command, could you repeat that?"

There was a long burst of static. " _…Angel heading your way. I repeat, evacuate the area. The Angel is heading your way._ "

Jushiro looked around in alarm. "What?"

The same wail split the air, much closer this time. Shinji yelped again, raising his gun shakily.

Start the car!" Jushiro ordered, backing closer to the vehicle. Tsurumaki fumbled for a moment, and the engine came to life with a roar.

There was a loud crash and the front of a building part way down the street exploded outwards, a huge form barrelling through the debris. Something that could vaguely be compared to a praying mantis slid to a stop in the centre of the street, twitching as it noticed them. The creature quirked its head to the side, and despite the blank eye holes of its angel mask, it was undeniably staring directly at Shinji. It took a step forward, then it reared and screamed at them, mandibles beneath the mask opening wide to reveal wickedly sharp fangs. It was the same unnerving wail they'd heard earlier, dripping with animalistic rage.

The Angel charged, rapidly scuttling towards them on eight skeletal legs. They were already moving though, and with its wheels spinning, the 4x4 shot forward, Jushiro running behind it. With a desperate leap, the soldier dived into the back where he landed heavily beside Shinji. The man twisted about to bring his rifle to bear and opened fire wildly. His shots were ill aimed, sailing through the air or bouncing off of the tarmac, but several shots hit home, ricocheting harmlessly off of the creature's chitin armour.

"Sergeant, it's hurt," Shinji shouted, pointing.

The Angel was visibly wounded, its upper torso bleeding heavily from a huge tear that had almost removed its arm. It was slowly regenerating, but the wound was obviously slowing it down. The rest of its body was covered with bullet wounds, the handiwork of NERV's soldiers.

Proud of his men for doing their best to hold of the Angel's attack, the sergeant aimed again. His next burst was more deliberate, the bullets tearing into the Angel's flank above its legs. It cried out and stumbled, but did not relent. When he fired again, the Angel leaped to avoid it. It landed on the wall of a building and continued running horizontally like a spider. Jushiro fired again, but only succeeded in shattering windows before the Angel pounced at them.

"Tsurumaki!" he yelled.

The driver swerved the vehicle just in time, the Angel's claws narrowly missing its target. With a screech of frustration, the stunted wing-like growths on it's back split, and a pair of energy whips shot out. Jushiro and Shinji ducked as the tendrils swung at their heads, and they cut through the vehicle's roll cage.

It swung again, but Tsurumaki threw the vehicle around the next corner to avoid the attack. The Angel was taken by surprise at the sudden change in direction, careening into a wall and giving them valuable breathing space.

Jushiro grabbed the radio. "Command, we're gonna need some backup here."

/o\

* * *

\o/

"I want air-support to their location right now. Have our men set up a killzone in District 2," Misato ordered, then she turned and grabbed the microphone. "Sergeant, get up onto the overpass and swing back around, lead that thing right to us."

"Yes, ma'am," the sergeant replied, shouting to be heard.

The main screen was showing a live feed of the chase, Makoto doing his best to keep the drone in range. There had been several close calls already, Asari's gun and Tsurumaki expert driving being the only things keeping them alive.

"It won't be enough." Gendo said, unheard by anyone but Fuyutsuki.

"Ikari?"

"It's tougher than it looks. Just because we can hurt it doesn't mean we can kill it."

The old man raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you propose?"

Gendo said nothing and continued frowning at the video feed, focusing on the huddled form of his son. Before Fuyutsuki could push the man for an answer, he stood up abruptly.

"I'll leave this to you," he said, walking towards the lift.

"Ikari. What are you doing?" Fuyutsuki demanded, but Gendo only gave him an unreadable look as the lift carried him out of sight. "That man…"

He turned back, watching as the Angel pounced at the beleaguered humans again, cutting a chunk out the vehicle's bodywork. The sergeant's rifle blew a sizable hole in its torso, and it fell back, but the wound quickly stopped bleeding, scarring over within seconds.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The 4x4 bounced as it hit the access ramp, thoroughly jolting its passengers. It careened into the guardrail, kicking up sparks in its wake. Clinging for dear life, Jushiro fumbled with his rifle, barely keeping his grip.

"Bloody hell, corporal," he yelled.

"I'm doing my best here!" Tsurumaki shouted back.

The Angel was still chasing them, every attack coming closer and closer to killing them all. The back of the vehicle had been rendered into scrap metal by the energy whips, whole chunks of panelling missing. Jushiro had thrown Shinji into the front seat for his own safety. Despite the damage he was doing to their pursuer, his rifle blowing chunks out of its flesh, the creature kept on coming. It shrieked at every wound, but barely faltered. Growling, the sergeant grabbed a grenade off of his belt and pulled the pin.

"1…2…3…"

He threw the small explosive directly at the thing's face. It hit almost dead on, detonating with a loud crack. The Angel screamed, stumbling and thrashing about. The grenade had blown a chunk out of its chest, right through the exoskeleton. A fracture could be seen, splitting its 'face' from the mouth to eye, and one mandible had been blown off. But it still did not relent, despite the horrific wounds, despite the small fires still licking at its body, the Angel did not stop.

"How do you fucking kill these things?" Jushiro exclaimed.

"The core, smash the core," Shinji cried back.

"I don't see no damn core!"

Shinji winced. "It's usually in the chest…"

Jushiro grit his teeth and fired another burst with his rifle, the Angel skittering aside to avoid them. He threw another grenade, but it had wised to his tricks, and an energy whip batted it aside before it could explode.

It got closer and closer. Tsurumaki was pushing the vehicle to its limits, free to accelerate on a flat stretch of road, but the Angel was still gaining. It pounced again, the leap carrying it right alongside the 4x4. A claw lashed out, scoring deep cuts into the door and shattering the window. Shinji screamed.

"Shoot!" Tsurumaki bellowed, swinging about and firing on full auto himself.

The teenager kept on screaming, but lifted the pistol and fired wildly at the Angel. Bullets tore into the creature, and it screeched in anger. The energy whips whipped back, ready to impale them, but Tsurumaki wrenched at the steering wheel, throwing the 4x4 into the Angel. The impact lifted the creature of its feet and crushed it against the guardrail.

Tsurumaki pulled them away, then smashed into it again. The Angel wailed in agony, the friction and crushing force of the 4x4 tearing it's body to shreds. It thrashed, succeeding only in throwing itself beneath the wheels. The 4x4 bounced over its body, collided with the guardrail and skidded dangerously. The soldier fought with it, trying to keep them on the road, but somewhere a tire had blown. The vehicle spun hard to the right and ploughed right through the concrete barrier.

"Hold on!" Tsurumaki yelled, and the three braced themselves as they fell towards the street below.

They landed hard, the vehicle crushing itself into the street below, as the suspension tore apart in an effort to absorb the impact. Jushiro was thrown off, and he hit the tarmac rolling. The 4x4 continued bouncing forward, carried by its momentum, where it smashed through a shop front, spraying glass and stone everywhere.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Jushiro awoke to a loud roar. Every inch of his body hurt, but he managed to lift his head enough to see a VTOL gunship hovering above. Its guns were firing at something out of sight, tracking side to side wildly. Loud and angry screeches emanating from above told him all he needed to know.

He looked over towards the 4x4, where it lay buried in a clothing store, engine ticking over as it finally gave in to the stresses of the chase. He could just about see the heads of both Shinji and Corporal Tsurumaki, slumped down and unmoving. Hoping they were merely unconscious, the soldier began to crawl groggily towards the vehicle.

Another screech sounded out, louder and closer than before. Jushiro rolled over in time to see the Angel, its body bleeding from dozens of large calibre bullet wounds, leap from the bridge at the gunship. The pilot reacted quickly, pulling up and away, but a tendril flashed out and got hold of the machine. The Angel swung, and pulled itself up, using its claws to latch onto the side of the gunship. The pilot juked the gunship around, trying to shake it off, but it was all for nothing. The Angel's tendrils drew back and stabbed straight through the cockpit.

It let go, dropping down to the street. The gunship span out of control, clipping the side of the highway as it plummeted down to the ground. It crashed into the tarmac, ripping the road apart as it rolled, pieces flying off. Finally, it exploded, and Jushiro curled up, covering his head as debris shot everywhere.

The skittering sound of the Angel moving again had him look up. It was heading straight for the crashed 4x4 and Shinji. Jushiro looked around desperately, spotting his rifle just a few paces away. With immense effort, the battered soldier threw himself towards the weapon.

"Hey, ugly," he growled loudly, and opened fire.

The Angel screamed at him, backing away as the bullets tore into the still-healing wounds it had sustained from the gunship. The sergeant pressed forward, firing burst after burst at the creature, forcing it back away from the 4x4. He knew it couldn't kill it, only that he had to hold it off long enough for backup to arrive.

The rifle clicked empty.

"Shit…" Jushiro reached for a new magazine, only to find his pockets empty, he'd used them all during the chase. His sidearm was gone, still in the 4x4 with Shinji. Panicking, he started to drop back, grabbing his last grenade with one hand, his combat knife in the other.

An energy tendril plunged through his gut.

He choked, and lost the grip on his knife as his body was wracked with sheer agony. With a roar of defiance, he raised the grenade to pull its pin.

The Angel's second tendril took off his hand.

It stared at him for a second, unnerving with its blank stare. Then it flung him aside almost dismissively, and he landed heavily against a telegraph pole. The soldier slumped down, suddenly weak, fire burning in his gut and his wrist. He could feel his strength ebbing away with every heartbeat, his vision hazing over. He watched helplessly as the Angel turned back towards its prey.

A hand lightly touched his shoulder. He coughed and tried to look up, seeing a figure clad in black walk lithely past him. He couldn't make out any features with his blurry vision, but he could see that the person was wearing an enclosed helmet and body armour, all in black with a white patch on the shoulder and a white streak on the helmet. Two more figures joined the first, passing him on either side. They only differed in their patch colours, one orange, one a pale blue.

The Angel also took notice, and skittered about, its tendrils flicking back and forth in an agitated fashion. It seemed wary.

Without warning, the three charged forwards. Two moved to flank it, whilst the third ran directly at the Angel. It slid lightly under the an energy whip, flipping gracefully over the second. Inside the Angel's defences, they ducked and rolled beneath its legs. The move was enough distract the creature, and Orange came in from the side with a seemingly impossible leap. They delivered a powerful punch right to the mask, chips of bone flying from the blow. Reeling the Angel lashed out, a swipe of razor sharp claws batting Orange aside, drawing blood from their flank and exposing pale flesh..

Orange landed running, and darted away, only to be replaced by Blue. This time, the Angel's tendril managed to a line across its attacker's back, but they jumped up, using the Angel's own body as a support to climb up and onto its shoulders. The Angel bucked, trying to dislodge it's attacker, tendrils flailing dangerously. Blue ducked and weaved, pounding at the Angel's head with their fists, but was forced to leap aside.

White appeared again, cutting into one of the deadly appendages with a knife. The energy suffusing the tendril dissipated, leaving only grey flesh behind that twitched feebly. They spun away as the second slashed through the tarmac where they had stood.

Then Orange somersaulted in from behind the Angel, gracefully flipping through the air to land on its back. They plunged their own knife into the Angel's spine, causing it to shriek and convulse, rearing up. Calmly, Orange gripped either side of the creature's head. With the sound of tearing flesh and cracking bones, the Angel's head was torn clean off. Its body instantly tensed in shock for a moment, before flailing around in its death throes and forcing its killer to jump down. The three watched dispassionately, surrounding it as the Angel's body slowly dropped to the ground twitching. All the while, Orange continued to hold the severed head like a trophy.

Jushiro's last sight before the blackness claimed him was the three mysterious warriors turn to walk away.

/o\

* * *

\o/

 _AN:_

 _So here we see something a little different; the creature I dub, the Shamshelim. The idea behind it was to represent a lifeform if Shamshel was the progenitor, what life on Earth would look like if this Angel was the one to enact Impact. It is alien, but has the tools to be dominant. As to where it came from, it simply hatched from the core after Shinji killed Shamshel. Sachiel before it could not do the same because it chose the kamikaze option, obliterating its core in the process._

 _This chapter also contained Shinji's first activation of Evangelion Unit-01, as shown in a flashback. The scene itself is actually newer than the rest of the chapter, being written a couple of years afterwards, but works to bridge the end of last chapter into this one, whilst fulfilling the need to show a little of what happened to bring us to now._

 _Finally, we see the mysterious armoured figures. In the original version of this fic, it had been only one who showed up to save Jushiro, but here I have changed it to three, as it fits better with what I am planning for later in the fic._

 _Anyway, that's all for now. Please, it you enjoyed this, take a moment or two to drop a review. I always enjoy hearing your thoughts, and constructive criticism is always welcome. Thanks!_


	5. Chapter 4 - The Path to Revelation

**Chapter 4**

The events surrounding the attack of the Fifth Angel naturally caused quite the fervour throughout NERV. Ritsuko Akagi and the other members of Project-E were fielding calls and conferences from other NERV branches. Particularly of note were the team at Bethany Base, centre of research for Angelic biology, as well as member from the more scientifically-minded members of the Security Council.

Naturally, amongst those clamouring for answers were SEELE. That particular call was a private one to the Commander and Sub-Commander, but for once, Gendo Ikari was not to be found in his office. Fuyutsuki had been forced to placate the mysterious group behind their holographic monoliths before running off to find Gendo.

Fuyutsuki found Gendo in the Eva cages. The younger man was stood silently in the centre of the observation bridge, looking across to where the Unit-01 stood alone as NERV-Japan's sole Eva, flanked by empty berths for at least four more. The name of the area was almost a misnomer, as though they were restrained with multiple layers clamps, each unit would be held within a large tank, filled with LCL. In this instance the LCL was performing one of its main functions in facilitating the repairs to Unit-01. The Evangelion looked to be in a sorry state, the LCL tinting its armour an odd muddy orange rather than the usual purple, except for where plates had been removed in places to expose damaged flesh beneath.

Unit-01's head and pylons were the only parts of it sitting above the LCL, level with the observation bridge. Gendo stood with his arms behind his back, staring at the Eva from across the expansive room. The Evangelion, motionless as a statue, glared back at him, the demonic mask making it appear permanently angry.

But then, maybe it was angry. It was a raging beast, but one chained to the service of mankind, only allowed to slake its thirst for bloodshed at their command. Designed to be their protector, it was an abomination, bringing bloody, vicious death to their foes.

And this one contained the soul of one Yui Ikari.

Rubbing his eye, Fuyutsuki pulled his gaze away from the Evangelion and back to the man in front of it.

"Ikari," he said, approaching the younger man.

"Good afternoon, teacher," Gendo replied, not looking away from the Eva.

Fuyutsuki stopped beside him. He glanced at the Evangelion for a second, but chose instead to focus on the headlights of the technicians, swimming about the cyborg like a shoal of fish about a whale. They were working hard to regenerate the flesh with complicated equipment and apply new armour to Unit-01 after its latest battle.

"You've been quiet as of late, Ikari," the old man said.

Gendo grunted dismissively, but Fuyutsuki would not be dissuaded. He knew the commander of NERV better than anyone alive.

"Something's been on your mind ever since the Fifth," he continued, letting himself slump, his hands in his pockets. "I could hazard a few guesses..."

"But you don't actually have a clue, do you, teacher?" Gendo interrupted with a grin. Fuyutsuki had always called it the 'Rokobungi-Grin'. It was sly and cocky, even predatory, but always made Gendo look younger, softening the lines in his face. Until you looked at his eyes…

Fuyutsuki sighed. "You're not totally unreadable, Ikari. As much as you'd like to think you are. It's Yui that's on your mind. As always." He gestured at the Evangelion. "You're wondering if we could bring her back a different way."

Gendo turned back to glare at the Evangelion. After a moment he snorted exaggeratedly. "Just the delusions of a lonely man, teacher. Nothing more. Why did you come to find me?"

Fuyutsuki looked exasperated, shaking his head. "The old men want to talk."

"I suspected they would," Gendo replied, and started to walk away. "Come, it would be rude to keep them waiting."

/o\

* * *

\o/

" _The cost of repairing both the Evangelion and city is already becoming untenable, Ikari,_ " SEELE-02 droned. " _Resources are finite, as you should well know._ "

" _Indeed. We had your assurances that the Second Child was prepared to fight the Angels,_ " 04 added. " _Instead, he has barely survived both times, with collateral costs far exceeding expectations._ "

"The Second is performing as expected," Gendo replied evenly. "Both attacks have been thwarted."

" _Yet the damages and costs are already enough to cause doubts within the UN and Japanese governments,_ " said 03. " _Enough for them to start looking at alternatives once again._ "

"They are wasting their time, the Evangelion is already proven. The other options they have are inferior."

" _Yet they_ do _produce results. Enough that groups like NHC Industries and the JSSDF persist in their efforts and continue to receive support,_ " 05 growled back. " _You should have been more ruthless during the Jet-Alone incident._ "

" _Your rivals have gained a foothold,_ " 04 added. " _Compared to them, NERV is too independent, too secretive in its actions. Without great care, you will lose government support._ "

Gendo fought to keep his face neutral. He knew the old men were sneering at him from behind their holographic monoliths, attempting to rile him up into making some sort of mistake in their verbal jousting. Much of what they said was true, but not enough that NERV was in danger. He already had plans in place. Let them sneer, he would not rise to it.

"I disagree," he replied evenly. "Despite the opposition, Project-E is performing and progressing as expected. Two Angels defeated, one captured, with zero losses of our own. We are far ahead of schedule in regards to development of the Eva-Series."

" _Yet the plan called for two Evangelion units stationed in Tokyo 3 at this time, Ikari,_ " 01 rumbled. " _SEELE does not easily forget your failure on that count._ "

Gendo took a deep breath as a murmur of assent sounded from the other monoliths. The old men were being especially critical today, he found himself wondering if they'd experienced some setback he was not yet aware of. Or perhaps instead they had become aware of his little secret project, yet lacked the evidence to do anything about it.

01 continued. " _The transfer of Unit-02 and its pilot will proceed as planned. You will have to compensate for the reduced manpower the plan called for. Do not fail us, Ikari._ "

"Very well," Gendo answered.

" _On to other matters,_ " 06 said. " _The Head of Research at Bethany Bay believes that with access to the recovered specimens of the fifth, he can unlock the secrets to the Angel's regenerative abilities, among other things._ "

"They have had two years to work with the Third," Gendo argued. "Even under controlled awakening, which I remind you, merely resulted in a near escape, they have not managed a breakthrough."

" _Nevertheless, you will send the Fifth's remains to Bethany Bay. Both carcasses. It may lead to some breakthrough._ "

"Dr Akagi is already conducting the autopsy on the Fifth. Our operation could greatly benefit from her research."

"T _he autopsy is nothing the researchers at Bethany Bay or any other NERV facility could not handle,_ " 03 replied dismissively.

" _Akagi's duties as head of Project-E already keep her more than busy enough. The maintenance of Unit-01 is paramount to our cause,_ " 02 added.

" _Indeed, her abilities are too valuable to waste on simple autopsies,_ " 06 continued. " _I hear that there has been huge performance boosts gained from her improved A-10 interface clips. Her current work is important enough._ "

"And this autopsy will benefit that work," Gendo countered.

" _Enough! It has been decided,_ " 01 snapped, ending the verbal jousting. " _You will send all specimens to Bethany Bay. Akagi will have access to their findings if she needs them. In the meantime, I suggest you prepare for the arrival of the Sixth. Be ready._ "

One by one, the monoliths faded away.

"We need to be careful. They are up to something, Ikari," Fuyutsuki murmured.

"They are always up to something..."

He stood up and stormed out, leaving Fuyutsuki stood alone in the cavernous office. The older man frowned as he watched him leave; Gendo was being far too reckless in his meetings with SEELE. Their plans were delicate enough that they could not afford suspicions increasing. Too many mistakes and SEELE may simply decide they would be better suited having someone else charged with bringing the Instrumentality Project to fruition. The command of NERV itself would be in jeopardy.

And then so would Yui. Forced to play to SEELE's whims as the vehicle for Instrumentality. Fuyutsuki would not let that come to pass, with what limited power he had. For her sake.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Just two days was all it really took for Shinji's life to return to normal after the Fifth Angel's assault. As before, he had barely spent more than half a day in the hospital wing, and more the injuries he suffered in crash than in the Eva. There was the usual myriad of cuts and bruises, but the teenager just took that as part of the job these days. He looked tired and felt a bit achy, but was otherwise completely fine when he showed up at the Commander's office for their weekly meal.

Unfortunately, Gendo Ikari was completely absent.

After checking in with his father's secretary, the woman revealed she had not even seen the Commander since the night of the Angel attack. Fuyutsuki had entered at that point, apparently hearing Shinji's voice from his office, and told him that that Gendo was feeling under the weather. Shinji had been dismayed, but the old teacher had told him where the Commander's home was with a knowing smile and left.

This led to Shinji hiking about half a mile into the forest behind the NERV pyramid in the geofront with a tupperware box. In all his time here, he'd never even known there was anything out here but a few maintenance sheds and access tunnels. As he rounded a bend in the slightly overgrown path however, his eyes fell upon a squat little glass-and-log cabin sitting in a little clearing.

He'd always assumed his father simply lived somewhere within Central Dogma like a lot of the other staff. He had been offered a room himself when he first arrived, and knew them to them to be quite comfortable. Gendo had always seemed to be a man tied to his work, only leaving the geofront to see his wife's gravestone or for a meeting with a politician or other people of power. The man even ate dinner in his office.

It was hard for Shinji to imagine Gendo Ikari living somewhere so… homely. Only in his wildest dreams as a child had he pictured anything close. Shinji, his father and his mother living happy, normal lives. An impossible dream.

After a long few minutes of dumbstruck staring that had absolutely nothing to do with the nervousness he was feeling, Shinji steeled himself and walked towards the front door. He felt like he was marching into combat with another Angel, and as he raised his hand to grab the brass door knocker, he could see his hand shaking. He forced it to steady, reminding himself that this wasn't two years ago, he knew his father now. At least a little.

The knocker sounded like an explosion in the quiet little woods, and a little voice in Shinji's mind questioned why there even was one, when it was apparent barely anybody knew this place existed. The sound seemed to echo off of the tree trunks for several moments and then the silence returned. The next minute felt like eternity as Shinji waited, and just as he felt he could barely stand it any longer, he stepped back and the door opened.

Gendo Ikari peered down at Shinji with his usual stony face from behind his glasses. Somehow, Shinji knew his father was surprised, perhaps something about the man's expression was not as hard-edged as it could be. For the barest instance, the boy could see himself in his father. Gendo no longer towered over him as he once had, and without his usual trappings, the Commander's uniform traded in for casual slacks and a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he looked almost normal. Even his glasses, instead of those orange-tinted lenses, were clear, leaving the man's eyes open for once.

"Shinji," Gendo said by way of greeting.

"H-hello, father," Shinji replied. They stared at each other. "Err.. umm, I heard you were, um, under the weather, s-so I brought you some err… beef stew."

Shinji bowed down, squeezing his eyes shut as he presented the wrapped meal to his father. There was a short pause, then he felt the box be taken from his hands.

"Thank you, Shinji. It is very much appreciated."

The teenager straightened, and the two stood there again in silence. Within the house, the steady ticking of a clock became apparent. Without the formal procedures of their meals in Gendo's office, or their solemn visits to the memorial fields, it became all the more clear how awkward their relationship was, despite the improvements of the last two years.

"W-well, I'll see-" Shinji began.

"Come in, Shinji."

Gendo stepped back and walked inside, leaving the door open for Shinji to follow. After a moment, the teenager took a tentative step forward and followed.

"Excuse me."

The interior was just as homely as the outside implied. The living area was large and open plan, a mixture of dark woods and crystal clear glass. The floors were similarly richly coloured hardwood, with plump looking rugs here and there. A large leather sofa sat in front of a stone fireplace, with a pair of chairs off to the side surrounding what looked to be a shogi board. Bookcases and a number of paintings decorated the walls.

Gendo walked towards the back where several pillars partitioned off the kitchen area, and set down the food on the countertop within. Shinji's eyes followed him, and then past as they came to rest on shiny black grand piano in the corner. The teenager stared, not knowing his father for a musician, then blinked as he noticed the violin above it, set on shelf in the centre of the wall within a glass display case.

It seemed innocuous there, but he could not help but be drawn to the instrument. The violin itself was hardly a showpiece, and though it was obviously well cared for, it had seen some wear from long use.

"It was your mother's," Gendo said in a soft voice.

Shinji started and looked at him. His father stood just outside of the kitchen area, looking at him with an odd expression.

"O-oh…" Shinji said, and his brow furrowed slightly. "I didn't know there was anything of hers left."

Gendo shook his head. "This is it." He walked over to it, one hand coming up to caress the top of the piano as he passed. "She was quite the violinist when she was younger, although science was her true passion." He turned back to Shinji, his expression thoughtful. "You played the Cello before coming to Tokyo-3, correct?"

The younger Ikari nodded, a little dumbstruck at the small revelation into his mother's past. "I- I wasn't very good."

"A shame. Your mother would've loved to see you play."

There was another pause.

"The piano is yours, father?"

Gendo nodded, the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Yes, I would accompany her from time to time," he replied quietly, and bowed his head as if reliving old memories.

There was another quiet moment, though the discomfort was waning. Eventually, Gendo looked up and stepped out from behind the piano.

"Perhaps you should have another go at playing the Cello, if you have the time," he suggested, and Shinji nodded slowly. "Now, run along home. I appreciate your concern, I will be back at NERV tomorrow."

Shinji nodded again. "See you, father."

The teenager left, feeling oddly light headed as he retreated down the path back to Central Dogma. When he thought about it later, he was sure he heard a few sorrowful notes from the piano drift through the trees.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The constant background noise of traffic and construction work was muffled as Misato pushed the wheelchair along a stone path, deep into the hospital's garden. Situated at the rear of the main building, the garden comprised of a thick copse of trees interspaced with seating areas and flowerbeds, all working to create a quiet relaxation area.

For patients fit enough to venture outside, it was a nice retreat from the antiseptic halls of the hospital itself. For Misato, the garden was ideal for its quiet privacy. Whilst Jushiro Asari was not technically well enough to be leaving his bed, they had things of a sensitive nature to discuss.

The wheelchair-bound man pointed weakly, indicating a stained wooden bench, flanked by bushes. A quick scan of the area by Misato confirmed that they were alone, and she quickly headed in that direction.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Misato asked as she took a seat on the bench.

Jushiro coughed uncomfortably, a grimace twisting his features. He wrapped his arms around his stomach.

"You said…" he groaned after a moment. "You said that the Angel, the Shamshelim? Was killed when the gunship exploded?"

Misato frowned. "Err… yeah. Shrapnel took its head off."

"You… you didn't see what happened?"

"Our drone got caught in the smoke from the explosion, took a bit to regain visuals."

Jushiro looked incredulous. "So how do you know shrapnel killed it?"

"That's…" Misato began, a finger raised. She stopped and closed her mouth. "…what we were told."

"Official report?"

"Yeah…" Misato's frown deepened. "And now you're going to tell me that's a lie, aren't you?"

Jushiro glanced around, and then leaned closer. "Someone came and killed the Angel."

Misato smiled, but the dismissive chuckle died in her throat as she say the serious look on the soldier's face. "You're not joking… Who then? How?"

"I don't know," he replied, shaking his head. "There was three of them, but they were all completely covered up. But the way they fought… it was inhuman. They went toe-to-toe with that thing. One of them ripped the Angel's head off with their bare hands. Took it with them when they left."

Misato's eyes widened. She fell back into against the bench, worrying at her lip, her eyes flicking back and forth.

"But… we have the head," she murmured. "I've seen it in Ritsuko's lab."

"So the killers work for NERV," Jushiro said with a wry smile. "How many monsters are caged beneath Central Dogma?"

Misato shivered.

"Hold on a second," she said, pointing at him. "If that's true, how does NERV know none of you saw the killer?"

Jushiro shrugged. "I guess since we were found unconscious, they're assuming we didn't see anything."

"That's not right," Misato insisted. "Ikari would check a potential loose end like this, that's the way he is. Even Rits says he's a perfectionist. Section 2 should've been all over this."

Jushiro blinked. "I hadn't thought of that. But it doesn't change what I saw. I'm sure they knew I was conscious, one of them touched my shoulder when they arrived."

Misato rubbed at her face. "This situation is weird."

Jushiro nodded. "I'm a simple man, Katsuragi. I accepted this job to give my family a safe place to live, but in all my time here, I can never once say that I've truly felt comfortable to be working for NERV." He coughed again, and leaned back with a sigh. "Something is just not right with this organisation. Every day, I find myself believing more that this place will be the death of me, and it won't be pretty."

He lifted his arm to consider the bandaged stump of his right hand. "It's already taking its toll."

Misato gave the older man an apologetic look.

"Don't blame yourself, Major," Jushiro said. "I'm a grown man, it's my choice to remain here. Besides, I'm thinking that you and Shinji might need my help before the end."

Misato smiled and place a hand on the man's knee. "Thank you. I think I'll need you too. Let's keep this between ourselves for now, at least until we can get some more information."

"Agreed, but how do you propose on gathering this info?" he chuckled. "I'm no spy."

Misato, looked up at the leafy canopy above. "No. But I do know someone who is."

/o\

* * *

\o/

Shinji trudged on tiredly, trying to keep up with an oddly energetic Kensuke, as the bespectacled boy led them up the mountain trail. Toji walked alongside him, looking much less tired, but still not quite up to their friend's levels of manic excitement.

The reason for Kensuke's excitement was a simple one; they'd agreed to finally go on one of his famous camping expeditions. Although saying that they agreed may not be entirely correct, as Misato had heard Kensuke asking Shinji, and after the recent stresses put on her ward, all but ordered the pilot to go along and be a normal teenager for once. A week had passed since the fight against the Fifth Angel, and although he had recovered from most of his injuries, Misato had figured the country air would do him good, and in her own words, roughing it in the wild built character.

Shinji's protests fell on deaf ears.

Upon hearing that, whilst rather reluctantly, Shinji was going to be left alone with Kensuke, Hikari had 'persuaded' Toji to go along as well, if only for the sake of Shinji's sanity. Sakura ganged up on him as well, leaving Toji helpless.

Toji's protests also fell on deaf ears.

"This way, this way!" Kensuke crowed, suddenly turning off of the path and darting between some trees.

Both boys sighed expansively, and with one longing look at the well-worn path, followed their friend through the untamed undergrowth. Kensuke led them through trees and bushes, over rocks and logs, darting nimbly down a path only he could see. Toji stomped sullenly after him, violently snapping every twig beneath his feet, and tripping over stone after stone. Shinji cringed as his clothes caught constantly on branches, creating small tears, and he yelped when a cobweb got caught on his face.

Eventually, Kensuke led them up a steep incline and into a large open field. Set upon a plateau, the field rose in a gentle slope above the treeline. A light breeze blew, causing the trees to sway like an ocean of leaves. In the distance, the setting sun bathed the sky in warm colours, glinting off of the buildings of Tokyo-3. Both Shinji and Toji gasped at the sight, causing Kensuke to grin at them.

"This is where ya've been comin' all this time, Ken?" asked Toji, his eyes wide.

"Yep," he replied smugly. "Welcome to my home away from home."

"It's beautiful," Shinji breathed.

A triumphant smirk on his face, Kensuke led the way over towards a small pile of boulders, and they set up camp in the shelter of them. They pitched the tents around the remains of an old fire-pit, left over from a previous trip. Shinji and Toji received a lesson in how to safely light a fire, with neither of them having much clue otherwise, and the group settled down to roast marshmallows.

"Cos it ain't camping without marshmallows!" Kensuke had declared.

He also declared that camping required ghost stories, so the three took in turns trying to scare the others with impromptu stories that were more silly than scary. Toji eventually won with a story whose monster was basically demon-ghost-Hikari. When Shinji blurted out the comparison to the class representative, the taller boy quickly threatened the others with pain should they ever repeat a word of it to her.

Eventually, the teenagers retreated to their respective tents to sleep. The air was cool, with only the faintest breeze, so they each lay where they could look out at the sky. It was a cloudless night, and the stars and moon shone brightly.

"I've got something to show you guys," Kensuke announced the next morning,

The three sat eating a breakfast of military rations. Kensuke had brought them along due to them being easier to carry, but he seemed to be the only one who actually liked them.

"Blegh… What's that?" Toji asked as he tried to get rid of the bad taste with water.

Kensuke just tapped his nose smugly. "Just a short walk away and you'll find out."

"Is this the same definition of short that had you lead us up a mountain?" Shinji asked, staring at his blistered feet.

The bespectacled boy had the decency to at least look embarrassed. "No no no," he said, waving his hand. "It's just back down the ridge a little ways."

"Fine," Toji said, standing up. "But every new blister earns ya a punch in the head."

"This way then…" Kensuke laughed nervously, making sure he was out of arm's reach.

With much grumbling the three heading back down the mountain, roughly in the direction of Tokyo-3. For his friend's, and his own head's sake, Kensuke took it easy, and within half an hour, they emerged out of the forest onto a road. The road hugged the sheer cliff of the mountain, safety barriers lining the edge of it. Kensuke led them up to a bend in the road where the cliff jutted out, leaving a flat grassy area. A few weather-beaten benches were set up amongst sparse bushes.

If anything, the view from this spot was even better, the cliff situated high up in the mountains surrounding Tokyo-3, so it provided an amazing vantage point over the city. Tokyo-3's buildings rose like crystal needles towards the blue sky, the flow of traffic and rail cars like rivers amongst them.

"Ya just full of surprises, eh Kensuke?" Toji said, as they took it all in.

"It is pretty awesome," the boy replied. "But not what I'm here to show you. Here, look."

He walked along the cliff edge as the other two watched, heading for a bush perched just along the edge of the safety rail.

"You see," he said, as he got down on his hands and knees beside the shrubbery. "It's rather disappointing that NERV cuts off all the wifi and TV access whenever an Angel attacks." He reached inside the bush with both hands, grabbing hold of something big. "But I really want to see the Eva in action again…" he grunting, pulling out a plastic-wrapped box. "And both times I've tried to leave the shelter to watch, the teacher or a guard has stopped me."

"That's because it's dangerous," Shinji said blankly. "That's the whole reason you're in the shelter. I want to be in the shelter…"

Toji sighed. "I've tried explaining this to him. Even after a Hikari-lecture, he won't listen."

Kensuke grinned at them, removing the wrapping the plastic from around the box. "Doesn't matter now anyway. I got what I wanted."

"Kensuke… What did you do?" Toji asked, his voice channelling a small portion of the class rep's tone.

Still grinning, the other boy pulled a camera out of the box. "I set this up on my last trip, after the first attack. As soon as the alarms went off, I mailed a signal to it to begin recording." He brandished the camera at Shinji. "I got your whole fight on tape!"

Both other teenagers just stared at him, wide eyed.

"Kensuke, there is a reason NERV stops civilians watching the attacks," Shinji groaned.

"Why?"

The pilot blinked. "I-I… don't know," he replied, his brow furrowed.

"It's not as if the Evangelion's existence is a secret," Kensuke reasoned. "We've known about it for years. And even if we don't know what the Angels are, we know monsters are attacking the city for some reason."

"He's got a point, ya know," Toji said. "As much as I hate ta say it."

Kensuke beamed at them.

"Just try and keep this quiet please?" Shinji begged. "My father will have a fit if he finds out."

"No problem," Kensuke replied with a wink. "Now, let's watch it!"

/o\

* * *

\o/

"Something for you to see, Ikari," Kozo Fuyutsuki said as he walked across the office, heels clicking against the tiled floor.

He reached the desk, walking around the side, and passed the commander a tablet computer. Gendo raised his eyebrows as he looked at the screen, seeing three boys, Shinji and his friends, huddled around a camera. He was aware his son had gone on a camping trip with school friends, but was utterly confused as to why anything they could be doing would require his attention.

With a glance at his subcommander, Gendo swiped his hand across the screen, causing the image to zoom in enough to see the screen of the camera.

"A video of the battle?" he said, eyes wide behind his glasses. The camera had recorded a view of the city skyline, and with the retracted buildings, you could clearly see the huge forms of Unit-01 and the Angel fighting. He leaned forward, peering intently at the image. "Shinji has some resourceful friends it seems…"

"Indeed."

"I'm guessing the MAGI picked this up?"

Kozo nodded. "Exactly. It took a while to pick it out, but a call made from a phone to another outside the city, just after the alarms sounded was enough to flag up for a check."

Gendo hummed, not taking his eyes off of the video feed.

"Since it was sent close to the location of Shinji's trip," Fuyutsuki continued. "I had a drone launched to keep on eye on him. Section 2 operatives are nearby as an extra precaution."

"Good call," Gendo replied. "I'm guessing you dug further?"

"Yes. Both phones are registered to Kensuke Aida," Fuyutsuki pointed at the shorter of Shinji's friends. "Seems he really wanted to see the Evangelion. The boy's a self-proclaimed war enthusiast, reportedly asks Shinji about the Evas on a regular basis."

"Any cause for concern?"

"Not at all. He has no suspicious connections. It seems to just be curiosity."

Gendo said nothing for a long moment, watching the final moments of the fight as Unit-01 finally killed Shamshel. The Aida boy was gesturing animatedly, clearly excited by the spectacle. His son however, appeared to be merely uneasy at it all. He entwined his fingers beneath his nose, deep in thought.

"I doubt there is any cause for concern here in regards to your son," Fuyutsuki said. "But there is the end of the recording…"

Gendo paused as the video showed an explosion emanating from near the Eva. Kensuke had fast-forwarded the recording to where the Shamshelim had attacked. Both men leaned in closer as Shinji waved his hands, trying to ward off his friend's questions. Naturally, the pilot had been sworn to secrecy about the Angel's smaller form.

Eventually both boys relented, Shinji keeping his promise. Although the trail of explosions leading around the city made it clear that something had happened, there was no sight of the Shamshelim on film.

Fuyutsuki gave a relieved sigh. "So?"

"Have the MAGI prevent any distribution of the video as best we can in accordance with my previous orders. As soon as he plugs the camera into a computer, I want that recording deleted," Gendo ordered. "SEELE wants the smaller creature to remain secret for now. Have Section 2 put the Aida boy under surveillance. It would not do to have one of our pilot's friends attract any undue attention."

"As you wish," Fuyutsuki said with a bow.

/o\

* * *

\o/

"Misato Katsuragi, don't say you missed me?" Ryoji Kaji teased.

The scruffy man leaned nonchalantly against the wall of the bridge with a mobile phone held up to his ear, ignoring the annoyed looks flashed at him by the sailors. He was overseeing the loading of Evangelion Unit-02 onto its transport, the supercarrier Over The Rainbow. The deck of the massive transport vessel had been converted into a large open tank, filled with LCL, and the bright red cyborg was currently been lifted from a train car into it.

Far below he could see a flash of red and yellow, Asuka 'supervising' to ensure the safety and proper handling of her Eva. A fanciful part of his mind imagined he could hear her dulcet tones, ordering the dockworkers about in rapid german. Right now however, his focus was entirely centered upon a certain buxom operations director on the other end of the phone. He could hear her teeth grinding in response to his lackadaisical greeting. They had a tense relationship, product of a bad break-up years before, and Kaji knew that Misato would never call him for anything that wasn't business related. Still, he could never keep himself from flirting with her, in spite of how angry it made her. She made him feel like a teenager again.

"Never in a million years," she replied vehemently. She took a deep breath. "But I... The truth is..." She mumbled something.

"Could you repeat that?" Kaji asked jovially.

Misato growled. "...I need you."

The ponytailed man blinked, then smiled hugely. "Hooo~, After all this time, do you wish to rekindle the fires of our passion?" he purred.

A loud crack was followed by a dial tone.

"She hung up on me..." Kaji said to nobody in particular, his smile faltering. A frown developed as he stared at the phone, that would've gone better if he stopped pushing her buttons.

After a minute or so, it rang again.

"Hello?"

"Your help, you idiot! I need your help," Misato roared.

Kaji pulled the phone away from his ear to save his hearing. He was grinning again though.

"And what would a beautiful woman such as yourself need my help with?"

"Kaji this is serious," Misato snapped, and the tone of her voice was enough for the man to stop smiling and stand up straight. He began to walk towards the exit. When he replied, his voice was low and the playful tone gone.

"Ok, I'm listening."

"Not now," Misato said quietly. "Can you come to Tokyo-3?"

"Yeah, of course. I mean, I'm already coming, I've just been reassigned to NERV-HQ. I'll be escorting Asuka and Unit-02 over."

He heard the woman sigh with relief. "Yeah, that makes sense. Good, it'll make things easier."

"Misato?" Kaji stopped and leaned against a railing, he'd reached the deck of the ship. "Are you in trouble?"

"No, no. At least I think so, no more than usual for this kind of job," she chuckled weakly. "Just... We'll talk more when you get here. Grab a drink and catch up."

He frowned deeply, his mind throwing various scenarios up. None of them were good, and most involved Ikari. "Ok, just be careful. Say hello to Rits for me."

"Will do. See ya."

"Later..."

She hung up again, this time a little more gently. Pocketing his own phone, Kaji pulled out a carton of cigarettes. Holding one between his lips, he lit it and took a long hard drag. He shuddered heavily on the exhale, a growing feeling of dread weighing in his stomach.

"Yoohoo~ Mr. Kaji."

Asuka was calling him, probably so she could ask him to tell someone off for some perceived slight. For all of her brilliance academically, she could still be extremely childish, despite being almost sixteen. He still could not break her of her idolisation of him either, being constantly forced into the role of knight to ride to her rescue meant she could fawn over him adoringly.

It made him the slightest bit uncomfortable. Ryoji Kaji was no knight.

Sighing, he flicked the half-smoked cigarette over the side and went to save the dockworkers.

/o\

* * *

\o/

 _AN:_

 _The first chapter without an Angel fight, as eventually you guys would need a breather. So instead, we get politicing and the beginning of suspicions._

 _It has some quite big structure changes compared to the original draft, some scenes being shifted about to allow for a better flow of time. Additionally, the scene with Shinji visiting his father's cottage was a new scene written more recently. There's a small reference there that comes up again later, but it also allowed me to bring in the idea of music, something I've always felt was an important side to Eva ever since my introduction to the series with the Death and Rebirth and EOE movies. (For those that don't know, they use the idea of the four pilots (Shinji, Asuka, Rei and Kaworu) playing a string quartet as a scene break throughout)._

 _Not much else to say really, this Chapter covers some of the side-characters, Toji and Kensuke, as well as Sergeant Asari, who featured heavily in the last chapter. Toji and Kensuke's part are to show Shinji being an actual teenager for once and doing non-Eva things, but it also allows the other two boys, chiefly Kensuke, to be around for something more than comic-relief._

 _Oh, and everyone's favourite redhead showed up in the background. That's all you'll get from her for now._

 _Thanks for reading, and remember, please leave your thoughts, suggestions and other critique in the reviews. Thanks._


	6. Chapter 5 - Arrival of the Green Knight

**Chapter 5**

A cacophony of voices filled the command centre of NERV Bethany, somewhat more intense for its much more cramped area compared to other NERV branches. Situated aboard the _Ural II_ , the joint European-Russian command was anchored in the sea around the base, rather than within it. It was deemed safer that way, as for all intents and purposes, Bethany Base was the prison of a monsters. Utterly dwarfing any ship, it appeared as a titanic steel egg held up by two dozen reinforced pylons, a multiple layered defence system from which there would be no escape.

The volume dropped to almost silence as a grey-bearded man stepped up to podium at the centre of the room, preceded only by a call to attention, flanked either side by the base's department heads. His uniform marked him as the commander of the base, the typical black two-piece suit with a silver lining, clean and stiff and fastened right up to his chin. Leaning against the podium, Commander Bart Schreiber pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Begin the experiment," he ordered in a gruff voice, sweeping his gaze across the room.

At a nod from the Head of Research, the technicians began typing.

"Initiating contact test 66b. All are systems nominal."

"Test plug is ready for insertion."

"Iblis is in lockdown. Core activity remains neutral."

"S2 organ is operational. Supplying power."

The Head of Research smiled. "Good. Start the entry sequence. Insert the plug."

"Plug insertion commencing. Locking in 3… 2… 1… locked."

"Depth is stable, beginning connections."

Alarms blared, and the room was bathed in red as the walls lit up with warning sigils.

"Critical error in start-up routines. Nervous system elements are being rejected."

"System is being scrambled. We're losing control."

"Neural pulses are rejected. Plug level dropping."

"Abort all contacts, lock it down!"

"Cutting… It's no use, subject is becoming autonomous."

"Blue pattern confirmed. Iblis has awoken!"

"Assaulting primary Cocytus system. It's breaking through!"

"Activate the Malebolge system! All units to defend the Limbo area, launch the seal-guardians. It cannot be allowed to escape Acheron!" the commander roared, banging his fist against the podium.

"Primary systems have failed! Secondary defences activated."

"How can this be?" the commander murmured. "After all of the tests, why now is Iblis able to resist the containment of the Cocytus system?"

"It was always a possibility," said a voice behind them.

The three senior staff turned. Behind them, observing the whole situation was an average sized man with a polite smile. His hair was of military cut, short and functional, and his uniform despite mainly consisting of pilot's fatigues was clean and pressed, worn almost like a formal suit. His pale skin was bathed in the warning lights flashing throughout the command centre, just barely concealing the light dusting of freckles across his cheeks.

"On its own, humanity is incapable of keeping the Angels in check. You thought it your prisoner, when in reality it was merely a willing guest, biding its time and return to power after its slumber within the permafrost. Even with your rigorous testing stripping it to the bones, it is ready, and it is angry at your attempts to pry into its secrets. Your analysis of the Angel is now concluded."

The three men gaped at him.

"Thankfully, it is not unkillable. I will launch as ordered. Good luck."

The man gave a crisp salute, about-faced with parade-ground precision, and left the bridge at a brisk march.

/o\

* * *

\o/

" _The Angel has broken the final Cocytus system. Now entering the Styx shaft,"_ came the report from command.

Propelled by four huge drive-wheels, Evangelion Unit-05 cruised along the tunnels of Bethany Base, its pantograph power couplings sparking against the electrified ceiling. Unit-05 was unique in its construction, possessing four legs and clamp-like hands, all mechanical rather than biological, making the cyborg much more robotic and giving it a much lower stance. It wielded a lance rather than any firearms, which coupled with its helmet, more regal than the monstrous masks of other Evangelion units, gave the impression of an armoured knight.

Within the unit's entry plug, the pilot was leaning forward in their seat, pulling rhythmically upon the control yokes as they pushed Eva to move faster and faster. Much of her form was concealed by the padded plug-suit, complete with additional cable hookups in the forearms and a bulky helmet.

Oblivious to the chatter of the command staff over the comms, Mari Makinami sang childish song in merry Japanese.

"Happiness doesn't walk to you,

That's why I walk to it.

One step a day,

Making three steps in three days.

Three steps forwards,

And two steps back.

Life is a one-two punch!"

" _The Third is approaching your position, Mari,_ " she heard her guardian say, his familiar voice standing out more than the others. " _Get serious._ "

Mari stopped singing and grinned. "I'm always serious when it comes to the Evangelion, Mr. Soldier," she replied, though her voice still retained its sing-song lilt.

" _I told you to stop calling me that,_ " came the exasperated sigh. " _I do have a name you know._ "

"Oh! No time to chat, there it is," gasped the female pilot, completely side-stepping the comment. Her grin widened, baring her teeth. "Activating AT-Field!"

Ahead, the Angel was barrelling forwards, propelled by four thin legs that shouldn't really have been able to hold its weight. Its neck and tail swayed like a snake as it charged. Its flank was alight with fire and smoke as a squadron of tanks fired a continuous barrage into it, completely ineffectual against the AT-Field. Iblis just ignored them, intent only on escape from the facility. As Unit-05 approached, they broke off from their chase, wary of getting caught between the massive war machine and its prey.

Mari shouted out a battle cry, the Eva leaning forward in response as it braced its lance. The weapon lit up at the tip and hilt, the mechanisms within it powering up and releasing energy, and she thrust forwards with it, directly at the Angel's face. It met the AT-Field first, casting the briefest shimmer of resistance before the lance's unique properties worked with her own to AT-Field to smash through Iblis' barrier like tissue paper.

The Angel darted to the side, its reflexes lightning quick, and the lance merely grazed the bones of its long neck. Iblis ran up along the wall and passed the attacking Evangelion, still seeking only escape. A wild grab with the Eva's free hand missed the tail as it whipped past.

"I missed!" Mari exclaimed, wrenching Unit-05 around with a growl. "It's so hard to move in this thing."

The Eva's momentum carried it backwards, tyres screeching and forcing Mari to slam the cyborg's body down, trying to use the drills in its pelvis as an impromptu anchor. Concrete and steel gave way, the drills tearing through it like butter, offering only the smallest resistance to the cyborg's momentum. It slid back nearly uncontrollably, stopping only when it smashed into an armoured bulkhead.

"Get back here," she yelled at the retreating Angel, forcing the Eva up and back into the chase.

She gained quickly, Unit-05's motorised wheels able to propel it along much faster than the Angel's spindly legs. Ahead, heavily armoured shutters were slamming down in quick succession, attempting to block the Angel's path. It does not slow or falter however, and each blockade is met with a flash of light, Iblis blasting through the gates as if they were nothing, leaving only ragged, molten breaches. Eventually, it stopped, suddenly and without warning, a halo of ethereal light appearing above it.

"Now's my chance," Mari cried, bracing the lance once more.

She all but pounced on the stationary target, thrusting forwards with the lance, only for her strike meets nothing but air. The Angel was ascending straight upwards, cutting through layer after layer of fortified armour effortlessly, narrowly avoiding being skewered. Her eyes wide, Mari stifled a curse and slammed on the brakes once more, but could not prevent herself from crashing into the wall of the tunnel.

" _Upper outer wall integrity has been compromised. Final seal is being breached. Target is entering Acheron."_

"It's getting away… Mr. Soldier! Do something damn it!"

Cut by the light of Iblis' soul, a huge pillar of reinforced metal cored from the shell of Bethany Base floated up into the night air. After a moment it was lifted clean free, only to be shattered by a flash of light from below. The pillar broke apart, burning chunks of armour and shrapnel falling onto the roof and down to the stormy ocean far below.

Eerie light shone out from the puncture in Bethany's skin, and with a high sound that sounded vaguely like singing, the Third Angel ascended through the newly carved tunnel. It stretched out as it rose up, neck and tail undulating in celebration of breaking out into the open air for the first time. The halo then faded along with its song, and Iblis set down on Acheron, the final layer of Bethany's defences.

Like a comet, a huge block of metal wreathed with crackling electricity smashed into the Angel's skull.

Caught unawares, its AT-Field flared only briefly in response, enough to prevent any physical damage but not to stop the heavy impact driving the creature back forcefully. Iblis screamed as it scuttled back, its neck and tail flailing wildly.

The huge armoured form of a Jet Defender Heavy Mecha stepped forwards menacingly. It drew back its warhammer ready for another strike, mechanisms within the weapon cycling to prepare another electrical charge. Even as it wound back its main method of attack it never stopped, unwilling to allow the Angel time to recover, and shoulder-mounted positron cannons opened up. A barrage of beams of energy flashed out in a steady rhythm, slamming against the Angel's AT-Field with righteous fury. Iblis focused its barrier forward to block the shots, but it steadily retreated as the giant robot slowly brute-forced its way through the layers of hexagonal light.

The moment the barrage let up to allow the mecha to attack, Iblis responded in kind, eyes flashing. Jet Defender barely brought its huge shield up in time, catching the blast but still stumbling backwards.

" _Get up here, Mari!_ " the pilot shouted. He grunted within the cockpit, wrestling against the full-body control system to keep the NHCI-built mecha upright.

"Like I'd let it run away," the teenager roared in response. Unit-05 rocketed out of the newly-formed tunnel, its wheels propelling it up the shaft, assisted by the jump jets built into its lower torso

The Evangelion swooped down upon the beleaguered Angel, striking out with its lance. The Anti-Angel Extermination Weapon impacted against Iblis' AT-Field with a brilliant flare. The impact rang out like a gong, but the barrier could not hope to hold against the specialised weapon and it pierced through it once again. The two collided, the Eva's short flight carrying them both across the roof and into one of the pillars that ringed the base. Unit-05's lance pierced the entry-plug dangling from its neck, completely destroying the fragile cylinder and pinning the creature against the huge tower.

Iblis immediately fell limp, hanging by its neck from the tower.

" _It's not enough,_ " her guardian shouted. " _Destroy the core!_ "

The Third's body spasmed, and it twitched around to face Unit-05, screeching angrily. Another flash of its eyes, and the Eva's right shoulder armour exploded, destroying the pylon and burning right down into the flesh of the cyborg.

Mari grit her teeth. "That's more like it!" She pushed hard on the controls, and Unit-05 punched its mechanical fist straight into the Angel's mouth, grabbing hold of the core and squeezing. "Die!"

Iblis flailed around in panic, trying to free itself. In response, Unit-05 slammed its forelegs against the Angel's torso trying to pin it down yet more. Struggling, the Angel's skeletal tail whipped around and stabbed at the Eva, piercing the armour around its torso and impaling the cyborg. Blood spurted out of the wound, and Mari roared in rage and pain. She released the lance, and punched out again, squeezing the core between both fists.

" _Mari!_ " Jet Defender stomped down behind the wrestling combatants and dropped its shield, reaching out to yank the Angel's tail out of the Eva. The mecha pinned it down and smashed the bloodied bone with its hammer, pulverising the segments near the base into dust, fully separating the appendage from the Angel.

The Angel screeched again, eyes rattling about in its sockets erratically, until it fixed the Jet Defender with a glare. Another flash, and light erupted against the war machine's chest, throwing it back, a ragged hole melted into the armour. A second blast, this one focused like a beam, sliced through the rear legs of Unit-05, and it fell back unsupported, barely keeping hold of the core.

"Damn you!" Mari screamed, warning lights bathing the plug in a bloody red, and the Eva roared with her, snapping the armour restraints around its mouth. "Give me your strength Eva 05! Die!"

With renewed effort, the Evangelion pushed against the Angel, the core creaking in its clawed hands. Within the plug, the LCL boiled. Mari leaned forwards, pushing as hard as she could against the control yokes. Synchronisation tubes popped off in quick succession, more and more alerts and warning symbols appearing in response to the damage, failing synchronisation and dwindling power.

Stress fractures appeared in the surface of the core even as the Eva's claws warped and bent in response to the huge amount of strength being forced through them. In her plug, Mari was screaming incoherently at the Angel, willing it to die, until finally, with a tortured grinding crack, the core shattered. At the same moment, Mari felt something pull hard on the Eva, yanking the cyborg back away from the Angel. She saw Jet Defender stomp in front of her, its huge heat-shield held up to the Angel.

Iblis' core exploded.

The explosion instantly vaporised the Angel's body and everything around it. Several of the support towers began to fall into the ocean and the armoured roof of Acheron cracked and melted. Amongst it all, Jet Defender stood strong, its shield holding back the force of the blast. An orange tinted glow surrounded both war machines, the dwindling remnants of Unit-05's AT-Field.

Slowly, the explosion dissipated, leaving only a huge crucifix of light marking the Angel's death. Amongst the burning ruins of Bethany's roof, both the defenders powered down, one at its time limit, the other due to damage.

Pulling off her bulky helmet, Mari slumped back in her seat, chest rising and falling as she panted heavily. "That was fun, eh, Mr Soldier?" she gasped, her eyes glazed.

" _Not quite how I'd describe it_ ," he replied, voice tired. The radio crackled with static.

"I guess we'll be moving on then?"

" _Indeed, there's no reason to remain here. I'm sure I'll receive our orders within the next few hours._ "

Mari made a pleased sound. "Good. I hope we meet some interesting people."

Suspended by his harness, deep within the smoking and sparking cockpit of the damaged mecha, Keita Asari smirked. "There will definitely be interesting people. I can assure you of that, my dear girl."

/o\

* * *

\o/

"Arrogant fools," Gendo spat.

He and Fuyutsuki were watching a recording of Bethany, taken from a cameras aboard the _Ural II_ and within the base. Radio recordings had been overlaid to give them an idea of how the battle had fared. As the recording ended, they both sat back in silence.

"The NHCI mech is performing surprisingly well," Fuyutsuki noted, knowing Ikari could not see his smirk where he stood.

"But without an AT-Field, it still cannot hope to defeat an Angel alone," Gendo replied. "They are a waste of money and resources."

"You're just upset that your sabotage scheme failed to destroy support for the Jet Alone project," Kozo grinned.

"It did not fail," Gendo snapped petulantly. "Some unexpected samaritan saved them at the last moment."

"I know, I know," Fuyutsuki held his hands up apologetically.

Gendo glared at the older man. "Anyway, this is an opportunity for us to resolve our manpower issues until we can secure Unit-02 from Germany. We shall take responsibility for the Unit-05's repairs."

Kozo raised a bushy eyebrow. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"Makinami will be watched I assure you," Gendo said. "But we need another Eva, the sixth is predicted to attack soon, there have been too many close calls to keep relying on Unit-01 alone."

Fuyutsuki hummed. "Use her to protect your son, then."

"Indeed. He and Unit-01 are necessary. She is not."

 _'You ruthless bastard, you hope to sacrifice the girl. I doubt she is much more of a pawn than Shinji is,_ ' Fuyutsuki thought. "Do we have the resources to repair it though?" he said instead.

"You forget that the original Evangelion were created here, teacher," Gendo smirked. "We have the resources that Bethany does not, and the repairs to Unit-01 are almost complete. Akagi and her team will perform the task without a problem."

"As you say," Kozo nodded. "And Shamshel's remains? I can hardly see Bethany accepting them at the moment."

Gendo looked annoyed. "The old men already ordered me to send the specimens to Germany. An exchange for Unit-02 it seems."

"I see. I will go make the arrangements then," Fuyutsuki replied. He stood up, bowed slightly and then left the office.

Gendo said nothing, but hit the replay on the video and leaned forwards, his hands clasped in front of his face, his expression intent.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Shinji spent most of the next day in some kind of daze, his eyes glazed, his jaw slack and hanging open slightly. He moved around the school in slow, jerky movements, responding to anyone who spoke to him with single-syllabled moans and grunts. The teenager was known for being quiet, even downright depressed in some circumstances. However, not a single one of his darker moments, mostly from his first few month in Tokyo-3, bore any resemblance to his current state.

By lunchtime, his friends were rather worried, so Hikari pulled him aside. Sitting him down on a bench, she held his face gently between her hands.

"Shinji," she said softly. "What's the matter?"

"Yeah, ya've been acting like a zombie all day," Toji added, frowning down at him.

Shinji mumbled something.

"Pardon?"

"Miss Misato told me Mari is coming to town for a bit..." He said a bit louder.

Both Hikari and Toji blanched. They'd heard the stories about the other Eva pilot. Kensuke pushed in between the two, happy surprise on his face.

"Miss Makinami is coming?" he cried.

Toji pushed down on his friend's head, forcing the bespectacled boy to his knees. "Shove off, will ya. She only has the hots for Shinji."

Hearing this, the pilot jumped to his feet and grabbed the taller boy's shoulders.

"Please help!" he begged desperately. "I don't want to be a puppy."

Toji backed away, waving him off. "Ahhh, I think ya on ya own here. Makinami is just too weird."

"B-but... The sniffing," Shinji whimpered.

"It ain't all that bad, Shinji," Kensuke said from the floor. "Not only is she a pilot, but a meganekko with a great ra-ACK!"

Hikari's textbook connected with the back of his head. Kensuke went down like a sack of potatoes. Fixing Kensuke with a warning glare, the Class Rep walked over and squeezed Shinji's shoulder reassuringly.

"Just tell her to stop," she said with a smile. "I'm sure she will if you ask her nicely."

"Yeah, you're a man, ain't ya?" Toji added.

Shinji just stared at them dubiously.

/o\

* * *

\o/

 ** _Rooftop, Tokyo-3 First Junior High School, 2015_**

 _Watching the clouds drift by, the sun-warmed roof at his back, Shinji allowed his mind to drift. His S-DAT player was lay to his side, headphones in and blocking out all exterior noises, leaving him only with the familiar melodies. It was hot as usual in Tokyo-3, the sun still beating down its eternal summer, uncaring of the altered seasons of its third planet. Shinji didn't mind it however, and had only lay one arm across his eyes to shade them from its brightness._

 _He'd been in the fortress city just over a week now. Captain Katsuragi… no,_ Misato, _had taken him in and convinced him to stay and consider things first. She'd given him a tour of the city and geofront, although that was debatable in its usefulness, as she'd gotten lost more than once. Still, she'd been incredibly nice to him, even if her cooking and cleanliness left much to desire._

 _The more he thought about it, the less impressive the woman sounded. It was comforting though, whilst she was able to appear professional and commanding when fulfilling her role as Operations Director of NERV, she put on very little airs and graces. There was no expectation, only the desire to enjoy life and relax. It was so different to living with his teacher._

 _His lips curled up in a small smile. He could get used to living here. The first test in the Eva had gone well, the other staff at NERV being, for the most part, friendly and helpful. He was sleeping much more comfortably too. Tokyo-3 overall was an amazing place, full of state-of-the-art technology, with even the school which he now lay on top of being much better equipped than many others in the country. After a couple of days in attendance there, he thought he wouldn't mind being a full-time student there. He could maybe even make some friends._

 _The only issue really was his father, but maybe if he stayed…_

 _Shinji sighed and shifted his arm a little to better see the sky. The soothing blue looked almost limitless, inhabited only by fluffy white clouds, and the occasional bird..._

 _He blinked in confusion, that was a big bird. Really, it was too big to be anything of an avian persuasion, and the wrong shape too. He tilted his head, squinting to try and make out the silhouette, and pulled out one of his headphones. The distant roar of an aircraft passing overhead was the first thing he heard, until a decidedly feminine voice crying out a panicked warning caught his attention as a shadow passed over him._

 _His first reaction was to stand up._

" _Ahhhh, no! Get out of the way!"_

 _He got the briefest glimpse of a girl his age, hanging from a parachute, coming right at him before everything went black. He was lifted bodily off of his feet, thrown back hard and landed back on his back. Something heavy and soft came down with him, pressing down on top of him and preventing him from breathing._

 _Shinji groaned as the weight lifted off of his head, and he sucked in a breath. When he opened his eyes, there was a girl sat astride him. She grimaced, squinting down at him as she reached up with one hand to search her face. A gasp, and she dove off of him, crawling around and muttering about glasses. Pained, Shinji sat up, watching as she searched._

" _Umm…?" he began._

 _She looked back at him over one shoulder, pushing a set of rounded, red-rimmed glasses over her eyes. "Oh, sorry about that. Are you ok?"_

 _Before he could answer, some device with the folds of her parachute began to beep. The girl threw off the straps still connecting her to the bundled cloth, and scrambled over to a small radio that had fallen off in the landing. She answered, speaking in English. Shinji just stared as she spoke, only understanding a few words here and there, not enough to properly follow the one side of the conversation._

 _He took in her appearance. Thin, but athletically so, in a way that made her seem taller than she really was, despite being of height with him. Her hair was a dark auburn, long and straight, done up in a pair of pigtails that complimented her western style uniform. It consisted of a white blouse and red tartan skirt, accompanied by dark stockings, now torn, and a green tie. Some small part in the teenager's mind was making appreciative noises at the ensemble, helped by it all being worn by a very attractive girl. He quashed it down. Another thing to blame Misato for, why she insisted on lounging around the apartment in next to nothing, he did not know, but it was sending his hormones all over the place._

 _The girl ended her call, snapping the radio shut, and crawled over to him. He stared, somewhat shocked and still in some pain, as she got in within inches and_ sniffed _him._

" _You smell nice… it's comforting," she murmured, eyes lidded._

" _Err…" Shinji replied eloquently._

 _She sat back, a feline grin appearing on her face. "You must be the Second Child," she said cheerfully. "Pleased to meet you. I'm the illustrious Third, Mari Makinami!"_

" _Oh, err, pleased to meet you," Shinji replied automatically, bowing his head._

 _Mari's hand came down on top of his head, ruffling his hair playfully. "Aww~, you're like a puppy!" she squealed._

" _Huh?"_

/o\

* * *

\o/

The arrival of a second Evangelion, along with its pilot and support staff, put the geofront into a flurry of activity. Unit-05 arrived with minimal fanfare, but a giant mecha been airlifted across the skyline, even at night, was hard to miss. As a result, crowds of people could be seen on rooftops watching it be flown in and down onto a heavy freight elevator.

The once regal-looking Eva arrived in a sorry state. They'd removed its damaged legs completely for the trip, and they arrived in a separate crate. Its right shoulder, torso and lower face were swathed in bandages, and its armour was scratched and dented. Ritsuko's team descended upon Unit-05 almost as soon as it was safely ensconced within the repair bays beneath the geofront. The head of Project-E had the ambitious of idea of not only repairing the Eva, but also completely replace the mechanical arms with proper limbs, shoring up one of the weaknesses of the unit.

Its legs were to remain for the time as they were, and NERV's mechanics were set about repairing the heavy equipment.

A major part of the work was replacing Unit-05's power supply unit. The pylon-mounted pantograph wires would be useless in the city and geofront, so they were removed for more standard pylons, complete with a progressive knife and spike-launcher. The other issue was that Unit-05's main strength was its speed, something that would be restricted should a regular umbilical cable attached.

Current batteries available to NERV only allowed up to roughly eight minutes of running time, which had been enough so far, but combat against the Angels had proved to be tense, each time a close-call. As such extra power would be a welcome, if not critical, upgrade.

Work began on constructing a powerpack. Little more than multiple emergency charge packs jury-rigged together and wrapped in armour, it was still an unwieldy piece of equipment. On a regular Eva, it would have made the cyborg unbalanced, like an overladen rucksack on a regular person, but the unique quadrupedal locomotion system Unit-05 employed would mean it would be barely inconvenienced by the extra weight.

The work given the highest priority, Ritsuko and her team working late into the night.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Mari didn't arrive until the day after her Eva, dropping in from sky much as she had a year previous, landing upon the roof of Shinji's school. This time Shinji was sat with his friends, and Mari managed to alight properly rather than crash landing on top of him.

The four teenagers just stared at the girl in mute shock as she unravelled herself from her parachute, cursing the large array of fabric and rope. Eventually, she tore free, stretching languidly in the warm air, out of place in her more western outfit, a smirk of feline satisfaction on her face as she scanned the area. The smirk only widened when spied Shinji sat across the rooftop, a sandwich halfway to his mouth.

She strode forwards, leaving the parachute where it lay, rapidly closing in on Shinji. The female pilot all but pounced at the boy, crawling straight through the group until she was face to face with him. Her eyes bore into his, and the girl actually _purred_ , before inhaling deeply through her nose.

"Mmmm. You always smell amazing, little puppy~," she murmured at him, her voice almost husky.

Shinji stammered, his face flushing red as he reflexively cringed away. A cry of outrage, and one of happy greeting, sounded from his friends. Mari just looked confused, as if her actions were nothing strange.

There was no time for any confrontation however, as the door to the roof slammed open and a pair of men in suits appeared, each wearing shades and a radio earpiece. Shinji instantly recognised them as being from Section 2, his father's security and investigation team.

"We've located the Third Child," one said, finger to his ear.

The other stepped forwards. "Please come with us, Miss Makinami."

Mari blinked at them owlishly. "Oops, time to go. See ya later, Second."

The girl jumped to her feet, barrelled Shinji over, and began to dash across the rooftops, vaulting the chain-link fence like an acrobat. Mari weaved her way through the nest of air-conditioning units, air vents and aerials before disappearing of off the edge of the building.

The Section 2 agents yelled uselessly after her, then ran for the stairs to give chase.

"Damnit! Pickup team to all units, target is escaping. Requesting backup!"

Shinji and his friends watched the whole event in muted shock. Exchanging looks, they headed over to the fence at the edge of the roof. Mari could be seen dashing down the street in the distance. Moments later, several more Section 2 agents followed, and then a sedan zipped past the school giving chase. The two agents that had been on the roof burst out of the doors below, sprinting towards their own sedan to join the pursuit.

Toji gave Shinji a blank look. "You work with some weird people, Shinji.'

For his part, Shinji had no reply to that.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Shinji didn't see much of his fellow pilot after that day, though he heard much about her. By all accounts, she was giving NERV's command staff a headache, refusing to let them pin her down for too long, leading the organisation's intelligence staff in a merry chase around the city several times. Misato cursed her name at the dinner-table often, though Shinji knew that if Misato hadn't been the one responsible for the pilot's welfare, she would have found incredibly funny.

It became a popular subject at the school, with most of the students being unaware of the Mari's identity, instead just seeing a sixteen year old girl being chased around by a group of men in black. It had given rise to all sorts of conspiracy theories and gossip. Shinji of course, knew the truth and doubted he could explain it if he tried. Whilst he hadn't been sworn to secrecy by NERV, in light of his own fame, Toji and Kensuke had convinced him to keep quiet and just let people guess. The two boys were finding the whole thing hilarious, and Shinji had to agree, considering the wildness of the theories being thrown around.

It was a nice distraction from the daily grind, and the days passed in a blur. A little under a fortnight had gone by since the arrival of Unit-05 and Tokyo-3 settled into its rhythm, with even the constant construction work becoming part of the city's pulse. It lasted ten days. On the eleventh, the Sixth Angel descended upon Tokyo-3 from the mountains.

/o\

* * *

 _AN: And Mari arrives in the fic!_

 _Not going to lie, Mari is one of my favourite additions to the Eva franchise, in no small part due to her being part-British. (Im a brit myself, if you didn't know.) There's a lot of mystery to the character, and 2.0 gave us another pilot on the level of Asuka's badassery. I've continued the trend of making her kooky as all get out, but rest assured, I've got my own plans for her origins and backers, I just hope you enjoy it._

 _Not much else to say about this chapter. We've got a second showing off the Jet Defender mecha, which if you're wondering, is based off of the Jet Alone Prime design, with bulkier limbs and a shield similar to the heat shield Rei used against Ramiel._

 _Ahh, Ramiel. As you might've guessed, our blue laser d20 of doom is the next Angel up. One of my peeves for Eva-fics is how often Operation Yashima is virutally the same every time, regardless of plot-butterflies and crossovers or whatever. Those who've read the WIP will know that I've endeavoured to alter mine enough that it feels like a fresh-read._

 _So, until next time, thanks for reading! Please remember to leave a review, I'd love to hear your thoughts and critique. Bye for now!_


	7. Chapter 6 - Focus of Power

**Chapter 6**

The Sixth Angel approached Tokyo-3 in an almost leisurely fashion, flying several stories off of the ground. It made no threatening moves, destroying nothing, just floated inexorably towards the fortress-city. It sang as it moved, a high-pitched modulated humming sound that permeated the air, like an eerie choir praising their god.

NERV codenamed it 'Ramiel'. Bigger than an Eva, it took the form of a symmetrical octahedron, two pyramids base-to-base, a small gap between them along the horizontal edges, light pulsing from within. Its body appeared to be made of semi-opaque, reflective blue glass, smooth and without imperfections. It had no visible means of propulsion, so they could only assume it was using its AT-Field to levitate itself.

And that AT-Field was strong, stronger than any recorded in previous attacks. It was powerful enough that even light was slightly warped around the Angel, distorting its shape to the naked eye. To conventional sight, it looked like there was a heat shimmer around it, but it affected other senses too, making scanning the Angel difficult. All NERV could do was point every monitoring device they had at it and wait.

Gendo Ikari had ordered it so. He wanted a full profile of the Angel's abilities before he committed the Evangelion to combat. As such, for once the JSSDF offered no resistance, despite clamouring from the country's leaders in Tokyo-2. Disheartened by previous failures and seeing the raw strength of the AT-Field, they knew whatever they could throw at it would be useless. No volleys of ordnance were fired, no bombs detonated in an effort to slow it down.

Tokyo-3 sat in battle-formation, the evacuation long complete, and waited with bated breath for the calm to break. Unhindered, the Angel entered Tokyo-3 airspace and drifted above the empty streets, finally stopping within the city centre, directly above the point where NERV HQ sat deep within the geofront.

It hung there, rotating slowly and all the more menacing for the simple action. For several minutes, nothing moved. Then with burst of sparks, the tip of the bottom pyramid split off from the Angel's main body, floating down. The smaller pyramid then quartered itself, separating into four equal parts. They drifted apart several metres, then began to spin slowly in a circle, parallel to the ground. They picked up speed steadily, spinning faster and faster, until it appeared as if a crystalline blue ring was floating there. The air crackled around them, sparks flying up and arcs of electricity crawling over the formation. A small cyclone formed around it, and as the four pyramids reached the apex of their rotations, lightning spewed forth from each one, directed at the ground below.

There was a thunderous boom, and then a roar of sound as the lightning began to tear through the street below, cutting through tarmac and concrete like butter. The lightning melted through the stone and earth and down to the fortified armour plates below. Its progress halted for the barest second, the armour holding against the assault momentarily before it to began to warp and glow hot, a circular groove forming in the plate.

Far below, Central Dogma was bathed in red light, alerts and warnings flashing up and down the command centre. The atmosphere was tense as they watched the Angel drilling its way towards them.

"We're not going to get any more information from passive scanning, Ikari," Fuyutsuki said, leaning down. "We need to do something soon."

"Agreed," Gendo nodded. "Major Katsuragi, begin combat testing."

"Yes, sir," the Operations Director turned towards Makoto and Aoba. "Launch decoy dummies."

"Launching dummies," Makoto confirmed.

"No reaction from target," Aoba added.

"Moving dummies closer."

"No reaction."

"Open fire with Dummy A," Misato ordered.

Above, being pulled along Lake Ashi's far shore, a Unit-01 shaped dummy raised its arm and the rifle mounted to it. Before it could even fire, Ramiel's form shifted fluidly, the split between its two halves widening as the two pyramids inverted. Both halves rotate, twisting themselves into a series of thin blocks, layered like a ziggurat, each off-axis to the previous, their tips connected only by the Angel's ruby red core. A blinding flash illuminated the area, leaving behind the afterimage of a thread of light, connecting the Angel to the dummy. The inflatable decoy is vaporised, the energy beam carving a crater out of the hillside behind it.

"Dummy is destroyed. Range, 1.73 kilometres," Aoba reported.

Misato nodded. "Next. Move dummy B past the three kilometre mark, C to five kilometres. Simultaneous attack."

The technicians complied, moving the remaining decoys deeper into the mountains either side of the fortress city. Positioned to attack from both sides, they armed their weapons, and the Angel responded with lethal force again, vaporising the second dummy before it could even attack. The third dummy's attack exploded against the AT-Field, Ramiel retaliating near instantly and destroying it as it had the others.

"Interesting," Misato murmured. "Keep it up, launch another dummy past the five kilometre range and arm weapons."

"Launching," Makoto confirmed

"No reaction," Shigeru reported after several seconds had passed.

"Open fire."

The new dummy fired its rifle, the large caliber munitions yet again blocked by the Angel's AT-Field. Moments later, the dummy was destroyed by return fire from Ramiel, much as its predecessors had been.

"Okay, let's test its reflexes," Misato announced. "Simultaneous attack from cannons in districts two, four, seven and nine."

From different points around the city, a quartet of armament buildings opened up to reveal battleship grade cannons. As one, the four batteries fired, each hitting a different side of the Angel. Ramiel's shape altered again, its octahedron-like form shrinking, arms extending out of it like the spokes of a wheel. Hexagonal planes flared up at the point of each impact, and it responded to each in turn, destroying the batteries one after the other.

"All batteries are destroyed. Rate of fire, 1.164 seconds."

"Now mortar battery 14."

Off the shore of Ashi, behind Mt. Kami, rail-mounted mortars fired their ordnance high into the air. The explosive shells rained down upon the Angel, filling the air with fire.

Ramiel returned back to its original form for a mere second before it shifted again. Its body split into four cuboids, forming a cross around the core. These moved back, elongating and rotating till they touched, forming a square bowl behind the core. At the same time, six needle like pieces of the Angel appeared, smaller prisms just behind and in front of the core. They rotated, and the core flashed again, the new shape acting like a cannon, focusing the blast.

The attack dug canyon of fire and molten stone into the face of Mt. Kami, boring through earth and stone, liquidising it nearly instantly. The shockwave from the initial impact ripped up trees and blew apart buildings, as burning stone rained down from above. The mortars were destroyed as every other battery had been. With a tone like a deep bell, the Angel snapped back to its original form, sedately returning to its drilling.

Everyone within Central Dogma stared wide-eyed at the display of power. Drawing in a slow, deep breath, Misato folded her arms and glared at the monitor.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Shinji had been sat in his plug for almost half hour now, listening to both the rapid-fire chatter of Central Dogma, and Mari's incessant singing. It had amused him that most of the radio-traffic was updates on the position of the slow-moving Angel, but that could only last so long. He'd listened intently to Misato's orders, which been punctuated by a tremor that could be felt even within the geofront. After that, she'd given no more orders except to remain on standby and monitor the Angel.

The anticipation had kicked in quite quickly after that.

This would be his third deployment against an Angel, and fourth overall real-combat experience, yet it wasn't getting any easier. People often told him that he was sixteen years old, almost a man, but he couldn't help but feel intense fear. They didn't know, they couldn't understand what it was like to face an Angel. To fight hand to hand against something so huge and powerful, something that could at any moment crush him like a bug.

They had done their best to train him for this, but every sortie made it feel like he was still not ready to face these creatures, despite his victories. And how could he be? It was becoming more and more obvious that his father and NERV, the so-called experts when it came to the Angels, only knew the barest minimum about their attackers. The Angels were just too alien to predict, each one incredibly different to the last, with all new ways of dealing death and destruction.

Yet he was forced to fight them, because very few others could, destroying the monsters only after tense and life-threatening combat. He had won purely due to luck and adrenaline-fueled desperation. It was all instinct; he couldn't flee, only fight tooth and nail to stay alive.

They called him a hero.

Shinji thought himself a coward.

He piloted because it was expected of him, and he was the only one in Japan that could. He piloted because it was the life's work of both his parents and it made his father proud. Despite that, he would rather be safely hidden within a shelter with his friends, waiting for it all to be over.

It didn't help that the only other pilot to see combat was so gung-ho for it all. Mari had actually been disappointed when told she would be acting as support for the mission, ready only to assist him should it become necessary. He couldn't understand why she loved piloting so much. Misato had shown him the recordings from Bethany Base, so he could see how his temporary team mate fought. Her manic assault on the Angel amazed him, the girl fighting relentlessly despite its attacks blowing off pieces of her Eva, as well as the physical and mental strain of actually piloting the half complete Unit-05.

But then, Mari had been supported by a Jet Defender mecha. Would having that physical support make it easier? Could he fight better with a friend at his side, even one as bloodthirsty and weird as Mari Makinami?

Shinji shrank down in his seat and wished for his S-DAT.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The briefing room was small and cramped, devoid of anything aside from a long table with half a dozen chairs and a single spotlight. It felt even smaller in that moment, crammed with close to twenty of the senior technical and operations staff who Misato had called together. Sat at the centre of the table, flanked by Makoto and Ritsuko, Misato glared down at the piles of paper reports and tablet computers strewn across the table. The woman scrunched up her nose, tightening her arms around her chest as she exhaled heavily.

She addressed the room. "Right then, it's out to directly attack us here at headquarters. What have we got? I want the full analysis report."

Makoto spoke first. He leaned forwards, tapping a large data tablet in the centre of the table. An aerial map of the Hakone region appeared on the screen. "From the combat data we have gathered so far, we can surmise that the Angel will automatically eliminate all hostiles within a range of roughly eight kilometres."

A large circle appeared on the map, covering the entirety of Tokyo-3 and a large portion of the surrounding area.

"Line of sight is also no obstacle to the Angel, and it appears to have sufficient power to shoot straight through all but heavy armour within seconds," added Satsuki Ooi, one of the secondary operators.

"Meaning close quarter combat using the Evas is impossible," Misato confirmed. She looked aside. "AT-Field?"

"Constantly extended," Maya said, looking up from her laptop. "It's also constantly shifting its phase pattern, so neutralising it will be extremely difficult. It's having the side effect of making the Angel's shape unstable, which we believe is why it changes form each time it acts."

"According to the MAGI's calculations, if we wanted to penetrate the target's AT-Field using N2 bombs, it would require an amount that would destroy headquarters alongside it," Makoto reported, reading from a clipboard.

"And MAGI II in Matsushiro concurs," Ritsuko added. She hadn't looked up at all, reading intently through a large number of reports. "Both the Japanese government and the UN forces are currently proposing a joint N2 strike coupled with the self-destruction of NERV HQ."

Misato flopped back in her chair, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. "How ridiculous. They're acting as if this isn't their problem. It's all over if Tokyo-3 falls," she sighed. "Next?"

"The Angel's drill has gotten past Armour Level 2, and is already boring into Level 3," replied the head of construction, Jiro Kazuki. "To date, we've completed twenty-two levels of armour. My teams have begun filling all maintenance tunnels and access shafts in the path of the drill with spare armour plates and Bakelite in an attempt to slow its progress. We believe the effect will be negligible."

"Even seconds could make a difference in combat," Misato replied. "So, ETA?"

Aoba responded. "At its current rate, penetration of every armour belt above headquarters is estimated to be completed by tomorrow morning, eight minutes and twenty-six seconds past midnight. Just over ten hours from now."

"Not a huge amount of time. What combat assets do we possess?"

"Unit-01 is at full combat readiness and can launch at any time," Maya replied.

Ritsuko finally looked up. "Unit-05 is still in the final stages of repairs. We've only recently grafted on its new arms and we're still calibrating, so they won't respond properly to any command. It can fight, but at nowhere near full effectiveness."

"Our defence grid has taken a beating over the last few months," Captain Ishizawa, head of NERV's gunnery teams, said with a sigh. "And the tests earlier have further reduced its effectiveness. We're looking at roughly 62% of our surface-to-surface armament being able to provide support fire, but the Angel can destroy whole batteries almost instantly."

"These are some seriously unfavourable conditions," Misato groaned.

"So we raise the white flag?" Ritsuko smiled wryly, raising an eyebrow.

Misato smirked. "Nice thought, but I don't give up that easily. I have one small thing we can try first." She spun to look at Makoto. "The JSSDF Research Institute had a top secret firing test last month, Intelligence has the report, correct?"

Lieutenant Hyuuga blinked at her in confusion.

/o\

* * *

\o/

"This is a truly insane plan you've come up with here, Captain Katsuragi," Ritsuko said blankly as she watched Unit-01 dig into the rear of Mt. Futago with its bare hands.

Assisted by a number of huge construction vehicles, the Evangelion was helping to dig out a terrace and flat platform atop the north-western peak of the mountain. The entire mountainside, as well as they highways and roads leading up to it were swarming with workers and vehicles, with yet more arriving every minute.

Misato never looked up, instead continuing to sift through a small mountain of maps, requisition forms and planning documents laid out over a trestle table. An open can of coffee rested amongst the paperwork, with many more sat in a box beneath the table, as the Operations Director set in for the long haul.

"Crazy? How insulting…" Misato murmured. She looked up at her friend, grabbing the coffee and taking a swig. "Operation Yashima is a solid plan that is executable within the time we have."

"Yes, but requisitioning the electrical output of the entire country?" Ritsuko said, perhaps a little shrilly. She gestured at the small army of men and women working to lay down the complicated infrastructure necessary to handle so much power.

Misato smirked. "It's necessary to power the cannon."

"How did you even know about that? The SSDF has been keeping it under wraps for years, even Section 2 had trouble getting useful information."

"I'm the Operations Director, I make it my business to know what weapons our rivals are building, especially if they could threaten an Eva," Misato said intensely. "Since our own positron cannon lacks the specs to handle this operation, I called in a few favours. Saving the world gives us quite a bit of weight to throw around."

Ritsuko cocked an eyebrow. "I suppose stroking the egos of the JSSDF by calling their latest toy our 'only hope' helped a little as well."

"They do like to show off," Misato agreed, grinning hugely.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The night drew on slowly, the sun setting behind the mountains on the far side of Lake Ashi. Spotlights illuminated the slowly rotating Angel as it hovered in place above the city, and towards the south, huge floodlights were brought in to allow the work to continue at the site of Operation Yashima. A mobile command truck now stood in the spot of Misato's trestle table, the cramped trailer filled with the usual operations staff from Central Dogma.

In a second trailer, Shinji Ikari idled away his time reading and sleeping, his SDAT on a constant loop in his ears. Despite being a little more than a changing room, it had allowed the sixteen year old some privacy. He'd had time to shower and get out of his plugsuit, spending too long submerged in LCL made him uncomfortable, and a long shower was usually his first port of call.

As it approached eleven o'clock, there was a rapid knocking the door of the trailer. Sighing, Shinji closed his book, letting his head thump back against the wall.

 _"Time to go…"_

Standing up, he stretched out, stiff joints popping audibly. With great reluctance he walked over to the door and opened it.

"Hello, Mr. Puppy!" Mari Makinami beamed at him.

Shinji suppressed the urge to bolt, and smiled weakly. Inwardly, he marvelled that the girl was still dressed in her green plugsuit, as she must've wearing it for almost twelve hours by now. The only addition was a thick bomber jacket over the top, evidently to ward off the chill of the night air.

"Hello, Miss Makinami."

She saluted informally, clicking her heels together. "Follow me, it's briefing time."

Nodding, Shinji grabbed his own jacket and followed his fellow pilot up the mountainside. They trudged along silently, amongst the hubbub of construction, Shinji trailing behind Mari as she practically skipped her way along the dirt path. He found himself watching her back as they walked, his brow furrowed as he tried to puzzle the girl out.

"Why do you pilot the Eva, Mari?" He asked tentatively, stopping in his stride.

His voice was quiet but the girl's keen ears heard him even over the background roar. She also stopped walking and cocked her head to one side, though she didn't turn around. Somehow, he knew she was smiling though.

"Too easy. It's fun," she said plainly. Her fists clenched at her side. "When you're in an Eva, you're just so powerful. There is nothing else like it in the world, no power to match it but the Angels. And all that strength is at my fingertips, controlled by mere thought. In the Evas, we are g _ods_."

As she had spoke, her words had come quicker and with more passion, leaving her panting heavily at the end. She spun around, her eyes glittering in a way that was almost feral. Shinji stepped back involuntarily. Her expression softened slightly, and she stepped closer to him languidly.

"Don't you think so, Shinji Ikari?"

"I-I... don't know," he stammered. Memories of pummelling Sachiel, towering above the cowering Angel flooded his mind, and Mari smirked.

"You do know," she whispered. "You've _tasted_ it."

"N-no. I'm nothing special, least of all a god."

Mari continued to smirk at him, but her eyes bore into his. "Why then? Why do you pilot, little puppy?"

"I..." He stopped.

This subject had been in the back of his mind all day, why exactly did he choose to still pilot the Evangelion? It had taken the receiving of several voicemails for him to finally realise, delivered by Misato when she spent a few minutes in 'big sister' mode and bought him a drink after he exited the Eva. His friends from school had all left him a short, encouraging message, and in that moment, hearing the belief they had in him, he'd come to a realisation.

He lowered his eyes, and spoke to Mari's feet.

"Originally... I did it because I was told I had to. Because no one else could, and everyone, my father, Miss Misato, Dr Akagi, they all wanted me to," he sighed. "I don't know when that changed... I think I pilot now because I want to protect my friends and family, protect my home. I'm no longer the only one available to fight. There's you and there's Asuka, the new American and the Jet Defenders... I could just leave and live a normal life. But I haven't, because I belong here. It makes my father proud, and it honours my mother, to protect this city."

A light smile had appeared on the teenager's face, his eyes relaxed. Mari shifted in front of him and he looked up. The other pilot was staring at him with an odd look on her face, her eyes intent.

"How very noble. Perhaps not so much a puppy then..." she murmured.

"What?"

Mari shook herself and grinned her feral grin. "Come on, you've got a city to protect. Let's go kill an Angel!"

She set off at a brisk pace, forcing Shinji to jog a little to keep up. They crested the hill several minutes later, finding Misato and Dr. Akagi stood upon the newly levelled mountaintop. To one side of the two women, a set of scaffolding leaned against Unit-01's back, the plug resting at the top. On the other side, teams of JSSDF and NERV personnel crawled over the huge positon cannon that had been air-dropped in several hours earlier, preparing it for the operation.

Beyond it all, in the distance they could see the crystalline form of Ramiel, still floating above the Tokyo-3 skyline. It shone a bright crystalline sapphire in the lights of its human watchers, still humming and singing as it bored its way into the geofront.

Misato had her back to them, watching the distant Angel. She glanced over her shoulder as they approached. The woman was entirely in 'Captain Katsuragi' mode, standing rigid, her hands planted on her hips. Ritsuko was tinkering with her tablet computer, but stopped when the pilots arrived, glancing aside at her friend. The Operations Director started without any preamble.

"Now, I will inform you of your respective roles in this operation," Misato said. "Shinji."

"Yes?"

"You are to protect the cannon at all costs. Should the cannon fail to kill the Angel with its first shot, you will need to prevent the Angel from destroying it before we can reload. To this end, we are providing you with a specially made shield."

"W-will that work?" Shinji asked. "I was shown how powerful the Angel's attack is."

"We believe so, yes," Akagi answered. "The shield was adapted from a scrapped SSTO spacecraft, and was designed to defend against high levels of heat. In addition, you will have you AT-Field. Focus on using it to bolster your shield, and you should be able to deflect the Angel's energy beam."

"Yes, ma'am," Shinji replied, sounding dubious.

"What about me?" Mari chirped.

"Mari, you're going to be our decoy," Misato replied. "You will be launched within the city itself, where you can try to attract the Angel's fire. We'll be supporting you with our defence grid."

"Got it," Mari replied.

"We've arranged the city so you have a number of paths to use, you'll be able to keep close to maximum 've got a basic shield for emergencies, but try to use the launch tunnels to escape fire."

Mari nodded.

"Additionally, you've been provided with NERV's own positron prototype," Akagi added. "It's considerably weaker than the JSSDF's," Ritsuko grimaced at the admission. "And you'll only have roughly half a dozen shots due to it running off of your own battery pack, so use it wisely. Do not fire at the same time as the cannon; it could deflect the shot due to the magnetic fields involved."

"The Angel's AT-Field is weaker whilst it is attacking, so with luck, you may be able to catch it off-guard," Misato finished. "The main issue with this plan is locating the Angel's core, as we believe it only materialises when it attacks. It is absolutely vital you two give us chance to pinpoint the core and work out a firing solution."

"This sounds dangerous," Shinji said quietly. "If we can't hit the core, we'll be under a lot of fire."

"Don't concern yourself with unnecessary thoughts for now, we _will_ destroy it in a single shot," Misato spat vehemently. "It's time, go get ready."

"Yes, ma'am," the pilot's chorused.

Misato turned around and fixed them both with a stare. "We can do this. Together. Good luck."

/o\

* * *

\o/

It just before midnight when Japan went dark, leaving the country lit only by moonlight. All that was left was a single island of light, gathered around the base of Mt. Futago, the centre of humanities defiance.

"It's time," Makoto announced, looking up at Misato.

They were back within NERV's mobile command centre, parked at the base of the mountain. Misato frowned and looked down at him, then back at the video feeds of the area. She took a deep breath, adjusting her headset.

"Shinji, Mari. This is the most powerful Angel we've seen to date. I can understand if you're scared, we all are, but you've both shown yourselves to be incredibly brave just for getting into the Evangelion. I'm proud of you. Thank you."

Neither pilot made a reply, but she knew they'd heard from their images on the monitor. Mari was grinning again, nodding restlessly, and Shinji had tensed, his eyes serious. Sighing, she clutched the back of Makoto's chair, and raised her head high.

"Commence Operation Yashima! Prepare to fire the positron cannon!" she ordered. "Initiate Stage 1 connections."

"Roger. All regions, switching primary and secondary substation systems."

"Throwing all switches. Initiate connections."

"All power generation facilities running to maximum capacity."

"0.7 until maximum output limit."

"No problems in the power supply system."

"Frequency transducer capacity expanded to sixty-five million kilowatts."

"All inverters operating normally."

"Stage One Breaker System Activating."

"Districts One to Eight-Oh-Three, open transmission lines."

"Voltage stable. System frequency holding at fifty hertz."

"Stage Two connections!"

The various substations supplying power rolled off their statuses and the flurry of reports began all over again. Thousands of people had gone into a frenzy, a logistical nightmare in which staff from dozens of facilities attempted to work in sync to provide an overwhelming amount power to the positron cannon. Any fluctuations in the grid, any issue of any kind, was mercilessly quashed, as any sudden rise or fall in the flow could cause a chain reaction that would kill thousands and leave them at the mercy of the Angel. It was a testament to the genius of mankind, that they could come together and focus their strength into a single point.

"Stage Three connections!"

"Roger. All power to the Futago Mountain substation."

As electricity streamed in from dozens of power stations, the very air itself warmed and gained a noticeable charge. Mt. Futago was literally humming, a deep technological rumble in opposition to the Angel's very own unearthly choir.

"Stage Three connections are normal." Makoto reported mere minutes later, capping off another flurry of updates.

Misato nodded. "Roger that. Send a message to Fortresses IV and V. Commence operation as scheduled. Pull out the observation planes."

And with that final order, Tokyo-3's weapons lit up the sky. Huge amounts of cannon, missile tubes and chaingun batteries opened up, spewing death in the direction of the Angel, a multi-pronged assault designed to catch its attention. The first spread of missiles were intercepted by the Angel's energy beam, sweeping them from the sky and leaving behind a ring of fire. Seconds later, a more powerful shot vaporised a mountainside, destroying the missile launchers within.

"Ground Attack System Three, vaporised!"

"Don't give it any time to notice us. Keep up the assault," Misato ordered.

Two more missile batteries were destroyed in short order, as a continuous barrage of shells flew at Ramiel from across the lake. The Angel morphed into a shield-like form, a massive flat hexagonal slab, and the shells rebounded off of its AT-Field, exploding around the city. The cannons were vaporised by the return fire.

"Cannon Battery Two is hit!"

"VLS Array Eight, vaporised."

"Ground Attack System Four, commencing attack."

Misato ground her teeth as she watched the blocks of weapons systems slowly turning red in the face of the Angel's assault. No other location in the world had the sheer firepower Tokyo-3's defences could throw out, and yet it still could not hurt the Angel, despite the incredible weight of fire.

"Missile Position Six has been wiped out."

"Laser Array firing third wave."

"Battery Seven, commence assault."

"Positron Accelerator charging."

Shinji gaped at the firepower being thrown at the Angel, it was a light show bigger and better than any fireworks display. He kept his ears focused on the mass comms chatter, picking out the continuous updates of the positron cannon's readiness. It was close to firing, and he clutched the huge shield closer to the Eva's chest. Word of a damaged circuit made him choke, but the army of technicians quickly fixed the issue, working to reroute and repair within mere seconds.

"Stage Four connections, normal."

"Right," Misato nodded.

She walked towards the end of the mobile command centre, on the wall behind the driver's cabin, and stepped up onto a raised platform. Her face set with determination, she sat down and strapped in. Instantly, panels folded out either side of her and a panoramic holograph display lit up. A half helmet folder out from behind the chair, dropping down over one eye and superimposing a targeting reticule over her vision. She could see the Angel now, through the chair's systems that were linked to that of the positron cannon's. The huge weapon was now under her control.

It was to be her moment. She couldn't pilot the Evangelion and spare Shinji the job, but she could make the shot that counted and fire the only other weapon humanity possessed that could destroy an Angel. With any of the previous attacks, such an assault would not have been possible, but this time, this one time, she could take charge and fight, instead of being forced to throw children into life-threatening situations. She could protect him and everyone else in this city.

"Release the final safeties," Misato said as she took hold of a joystick with one hand, flipping switches with the other. "Cocking the gun."

Machinery arrayed around the rear end of the cannon shifted, pulling back before shifting forwards, inserting a fuse as big as the Eva's forearm into the gun. With a hiss of hydraulics, the fuse was locked into place.

"Commencing final entry of firing solution. Control system is auto-tracking."

"Compensating for Earth's rotation and gravity, plus 0.0009."

"Magnetic acceleration field is stable."

Shinji could feel his heart pounding in anticipation, his breath quickening. He could feel the weight of the everyone's hopes behind him, focused alongside all of Japan's power into that cannon. "This has to work. It has to work."

"Positrons accelerating. 0.2 to firing… 0.1

"Stage Five. Final connections!"

"All power to ultra-high voltage discharge system."

"Discharge plugs One to Nine, ready!"

"Final adjustments. No anomalies found."

" _Come on. Do it! Kill it!_ " Shinji screamed internally.

The countdown began from fifteen, Makoto Hyuuga sounding it out, his words intense. The comms seemed to go silent in that moment, tension filling the air as everyone present turned to stare at a monitor, the Angel or the gun resting atop Mt. Futago.

"…Four, Three, Two, One!"

"Fire!" Misato Katsuragi roared, all of her hatred for the Angels poured into the simple act of pulling a trigger.

There was a crack, and the air sizzled as lightning arced through the air, as the gathered power transferred from the discharge plugs and into the cannon. A split-second later, the cannon fired, rocking back on its tracks and ejected the red-hot fuse. It fired with a brilliant flash, and a beam of light, formed of positrons guided by a magnetic field, shot across the sky towards the distance Angel. It boiled the air in its wake, blowing aside trees and pylons, shattering glass and tearing roofs from houses when close to ground level, tracing a bowline across the surface of Lake Ashi. Ramiel never stood a chance, as Japan's focused power shattered the orange plane of the AT-Field like glass, before enveloping the Angel's core in its light.

Ramiel _screamed_. A scream of the purest agony, high and sharp. Its body reacted in kind, no longer a uniform, geometric shape as it exploded outwards from the core, a ball of crystalline spikes. Blood erupted out of a hole bored through the centre of the Angel, splashing down into the city below.

The mountain erupted with cheers, Misato leading them with a ferocious warcry, and even Shinji cracked a smile, triumphantly raising a clenched fist. Nine hours of constant hard labour all for this single moment, and it had paid off.

"Wait, the blue-pattern is still present!" Aoba yelled.

Ramiel's body began to reform, the cracks in its structure mending as the Angel reformed back into its original shape. The blue octahedron folded back into being, still feeding energy down to its drill.

"I missed?" Misato gasped.

"Impossible, the timing was perfect," Makoto cried, frantically typing on his keypad.

"High energy reaction!" Aoba warned.

"Everybody brace!"

The Angel's shape folded in upon itself, over and over, until it formed a huge five pointed star, the core at its centre. The air warped and screamed in front of it, the building power visible as the Angel's entire body glowed hot with rage. It seemed to explode, and it was if a new sun had been born within Tokyo-3 as it answered an almost fatal blow with all of its might. Ramiel's counterattack impacted with the front of Mt. Futago and _melted_ it away, thousands of tonnes of dirt and stone simply boiling away within seconds. The entire Operation Yashima installation was battered by gale force winds, and even Unit-01 was tossed aside by the power of the blast.

Alarms blared within the mobile command centre, the vehicle had barely remained upright, its occupants having been thrown around like dolls. Misato, still seated only by the small fortune of being strapped to the firing chair, groaned and shifted.

"How's the power system?" she asked.

Makoto climbed back into his seat. "Still up and running. It's already recharging."

"The cannon?"

"It's been knocked aside, but it's still usable. Cooling procedures are still active," Aoba replied, holding his hand to his forehead, were a gash bled from where he'd hit the console. "We should be able to get another shot."

"Let's just go for it, begin recovery," Misato declared. "The Evas?"

"Functional, Unit-01 has suffered some minor burn damage," Maya announced.

"Shinji? Are you alright?"

Unit-01 sat amongst the smoking ruins of Mt. Futago, lay on its back from where it had landed. Within the plug, Shinji sat hunched up, cradling his arms tight against his chest, his laboured breathing now mixed with small whimpers of fear and pain. His skin stung uncomfortably, feedback from the Evangelion, and he knew the cyborg had been severely burned. He hadn't even the target of the Angel's ire, but just being near the horrible energy beam had been enough to hurt him. His mind churned as his imagination fed him the idea of what it would be like to be targeted by the Angel, to take that blast head on with only a flimsy shield to protect him.

Shinji shivered.

"Shinji? Please, we need you," Misato begged.

"It hurts, Miss Misato," Shinji whimpered.

"I know, Shinji, I know. But right now we need you to replace the cannon and defend us. I can kill it, we just need one more shot."

They were only met by silence.

A window, designated sound-only opened up on the wall of Shinji's plug.

"Shinji," said the voice of Gendo Ikari.

"Father?"

"If you do not do this now, the Angel will kill everyone on that mountain. After that, the geofront. Then the world. You can stop it here. Move!"

The pilot gasped.

"Help us, Shinji," Misato prayed.

Unit-01 rose slowly, shaking of burning dirt as it stood up amongst the steam and smoke. Slowly, it walked forward towards the positron cannon, dragging the heat shield behind it.

"We all have faith in you, Shinji," Misato said. "Remember what I told you. Together, we can defeat the Angels."

The purple Eva reached the fortifications atop the mountain and climbed over them. It dropped its shield and reached out with both hands, lifting the gigantic cannon from where it had lay on its side. With great care Shinji placed the weapon, the source of humanity's hope, back into its original location, roaring through gritted teeth as the piping hot barrel scorched his hands. He could see the teams of men and women below, wrestling to repair the damage Ramiel had done in time for another shot.

"Barrel is locked in position," Makoto announced. "Readjusting discharge system."

"Good, prepare to launch Unit-05," Misato nodded. "Mari are you ready?"

"Always," came the girl's growled reply.

"Launch Unit-05!"

Barely a few hundred metres away from the Angel, a catapult hatch opened up. The green and silver Evangelion rocketed out of the tunnels below Tokyo-3, and instantly fired off a pair of dumb-fire rockets that had been attached to its shoulder pylons. The two rockets impacted harmlessly against the AT-Field, as expected, but they did the job of drawing the Angel's attention.

Mari sailed through the night air with a howl, and her Eva landed inelegantly, its tires screeching and lower body kicking up sparks as they hit the ground. Engines roaring, the quadrupedal Eva shot forwards along a highway, keeping its shield pointed at the Angel.

Ramiel responded to the close-up enemy with brutal efficiency, it's form morphing into something like a thorned cart-wheel, spinning rapidly in the air. With bursts of electricity, those thorns became dangerous missiles, huge spikes the size of an Eva's arm shooting through the air. Mari swerved and accelerated, avoiding most of the lethal rain, shattering one particularly accurate one against her shield. She cackled as she threw the Eva into a stomach-churning set of manoeuvres as more crystalline needles were fired at her.

One hit the road in front of her, embedding itself into the concrete and blocking the road like a huge crystal obelisk. She swerved, hooking the shield around the needle and using it to pivot her about, racing back in the opposite direction.

So re-orientated, she raised the positron rifle and opened fire, a single bolt of super-charged positrons, that shattered through several layers of AT-Field but failed to physically damage the Angel.

"High energy reaction!" Shigeru yelled.

Perhaps sensing the similarity in weaponry, Ramiel screeched and shifted its body again, becoming a pyramid-style cone, pointed directly at the fast-moving Eva.

"Mari, get out of there!"

It's energy-beam lashed out at Unit-05, carving up the street and melting the faces of half a dozen buildings. Mari raised the shield above her head, twisting to prevent as little profile as possible as the beam swept across her. The Eva fell freely through the air, its armour smoking even from the slightest touch of the Angel's lethal gaze, and it disappeared back into the relative safety of the tunnel system.

"The enemy drill has reached Point Zero above Headquarters!"

"Hurry up with the second round!" Misato growled, even as a crane lifted a new fuse into place.

"Barrel cooling is complete!" Makoto announced.

"Power transmission system has almost reached maximum output."

"All systems are working properly, evacuate the groundworkers!"

"The Angel is refocusing, reaction, everyone brace!"

"Shinji!"

The Angel fired again, seeking to utterly destroy those that would dare to hurt it. Shockwaves blew out from the beam's passing, and once more rock was vaporised by instant contact.

Except this time it was stopped.

Unit-01 braced behind its shield and stood firm against the overwhelming power of the Angel. Shinji growled and roared and gasped, he could feel the very air boiling around him. The ground shifted beneath, and the Eva's feet sank into the melting stone. The pain was unbearable, his entire body felt like it was on fire, and he thought his muscles might tear themselves from his bones just from the strain of holding back the kinetic force of the Angel's firepower. He was all but blinded by the brilliance of the light.

But he had to give Misato and the others the chance. He had to protect them all. So Shinji grit his teeth and reinforced his AT-Field, the only thing preventing the already crumbling shield from melting away like everything else.

"Hold on, Shinji! Just a few more seconds!" Misato yelled, wishing the countdown to just end already!

Victorious whoops sounded across the comms. "We've got it now!" Mari roared.

Unit-05 was ejected from another tunnel, this time flying straight up, its positron rifle raised to sight. With a growl, the female pilot let loose all five shots remaining to her. With so much of the Angel's AT-Field focused upon eradicating Unit-01, the bolts impacted against its remaining shield with a lot more effectiveness than before. Two smashed through the hexagonal barriers, clearing the way for the rest to explode against the Angel's physical body, where they blew huge ugly gouges into the smooth crystal.

The Angel warbled in anger and pain, shutting off its beam long enough to circle around and retarget Unit-05.

That was its final mistake.

"FIRE!" Misato bellowed victoriously.

The positron cannon once again exploded with power, the shot not only breaking the sound-barrier, but also the Angel's AT-Field as it unerringly smashed through the crystal and vaporised the Angel's core.

Again, Ramiel screamed its death throes, its body exploding out into ragged crystal shards.

Everyone waited with bated breath, pausing for the Angel to reawaken again and blow them all away. The seconds passed slowly.

"Pattern Blue is fading…" Aoba murmured.

"We did it," Misato said breathlessly, hardly able to believe it.

Tokyo-3 erupted in a roar of celebration.

/o\

* * *

\o/

 _A/N: Operation Yashima ladies and gentlemen, and a version that is perhaps a little different. Yes, I gave Misato the kill, the woman has a very personal vendetta against the Angels, so do you really think she would miss a chance at one herself? Also, as cool as it was in canon, the JSSDF didn't design the weapon to be fired by an Eva, it was their own standalone weapon, so really it would make sense to have such a control scheme. If anything, it took less work to prepare this way._

 _Ramiel here is very much Rebuild!Ramiel, with a slight alteration in that it uses more obvious electrical attacks and shards of its own body as weapons._

 _Oh, and Mari. Instead of the pre-combat talk with Rei, we get Mari her reason for piloting. We also see why Shinji pilots in this fic, which is naturally evolved from his canon reasons, having had the two years of build-up._

 _Thanks for reading, remember to leave your feedback, and I'll see you all next week for the next chapter!_


	8. Chapter 7 - Deadly Depths

Chapter 7

"Looks to be mainly superficial and first degree burns," Dr Kawasaki observed. "The worst is on your hands, but you were lucky this time."

Shinji hissed painfully as doctor examined and applied special burn wrappings to his reddened skin. The LCL he'd been bathed in had helped soothe much of the initial damage, but it couldn't prevent everything. He'd blistered in places, and the stinging feeling emanating from much of his right side made him feel less than lucky.

"This is probably the least damage you've suffered in the Evangelion so far," the doctor continued. His tone suggesting that he really didn't approve of Shinji piloting in the first place. "That said, I'm still informing the Commander that you are not to pilot until you are fully healed, barring an emergency. It's the least I can do."

The pilot nodded weakly in response, a grateful smile on his face.

"Speak of whom, how are things between you and your father?" Kawasaki asked conversationally.

In response, Shinji merely sighed, his eyes closing.

"That bad?"

Shinji shook his head. "No, not really. I still see him occasionally. We have dinner and he asks how school is going and stuff."

"But…?"

"But it feels like he does it out of a sense of duty, rather than because he wants to," Shinji scowled. "And recently it seems like I get more contact with him during attacks. He's supportive, but is that just because he needs me to kill the Angels?"

"I don't know," Kawasaki replied. "Your father is a private man, I don't get much contact with him either, so I cannot speak to his motivations."

Shinji hung his head, a little demoralised.

"I'm sorry Shinji," Doctor Kawasaki pulled a pained expression. "But I'm no psychiatrist; I deal purely with matters of the flesh rather than the mind." He shrugged. "Or perhaps in this case, matters of the heart."

"But you've helped me so much, Doctor," Shinji pointed out intensely.

The Doctor smirked at the teenager's assurances. "I've only ever offered you the best advice I could, but I don't claim to be wise, even at my age. For all I know, there may have been better advice for you out there."

Shinji frowned, shaking his head.

"What I do for you, and the other pilots also, is ensure you're all as fit and healthy as you can be. I gave my life to NERV, simply to try and ease the physical pain of being forced to pilot those abominable machines."

The teenager started to reply, but Kawasaki held up a placating hand.

"It humbles me that you think so much of my opinions and advice, Mr. Ikari. I thank you for that."

Shinji nodded slowly. The Doctor reached behind him and picked up a jar.

"Now, you will need to change those bandages regularly for at least a week. Remember to apply this burn ointment every time."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." Shinji got up and bowed to the old doctor, who smiled at him in an almost grandfatherly fashion.

Knuckles rapped on the door, and both men turned to see Misato leaning against the frame, smiling politely.

"I've come to pick up Shinji," she explained. "If you're all done with him, Doc?"

Kawasaki nodded respectfully towards the Operations Director. "Yes, he's fine to go, no concerns." He turned to sign a form, then passed it over to Misato. "I heard rumblings of another promotion."

"Promotion?" Shinji asked, staring at Misato.

The woman grinned, acting embarrassed. "Yeah, there are people clamouring for me to be promoted since my plan didn't involve destroying Tokyo-3. I doubt it'll come to much, and besides, Major is enough for me."

The doctor smiled genially. "And comes with less paperwork?"

"Yep," Misato beamed. "Anyway, we best be off. Thanks again, Doc."

She left the room, and Shinji jumped down off of the table, sliding on his shirt as he made to follow her.

The Doctor turned and gave him a slight bow. "Mr Ikari."

Shinji bowed back. "See you later, Doctor."

He left, moving down the corridor at a slight jog until he caught up. "They really should promote you, Miss Misato, nobody else could've thought up a plan like that," Shinji insisted, fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.

"Politics, Shinji," Misato replied. "I'm still paying for destroying the JSSDF's pet-project. With the damage to the supposedly secret positron cannon, I'm not going to earn much gratitude."

The pilot just grimaced at the mention of the original Jet Alone. He remembered the public side of it, the praise they had received for saving a city from the walking nuclear bomb. He also remembered the looks some of the JSSDF generals and the NHCI executives had given them. Misato had received the worst of it.

He shrugged. "Either way, well done, Miss Misato," Shinji smiled at her.

"Couldn't have done it without you, Shinji," she replied, ruffling his hair. Her face turned a little more serious. "You've saved my life yet again. I'm forever in your debt."

Shinji felt his face heat up a bit, and dropped his gaze to the floor. "J-Just doing my duty."

Misato sighed and poked him in the side of his head playfully. He stopped and looked at her confusedly.

"Be a man, Shinji," she teased. "And be happy. It's time for a partay~!"

/o\

* * *

\o/

One Week Later

Nevada, USA

His strides full of purpose, James Henderson walked quickly through the subterranean corridors of NERV Nevada, the tall man's long legs carrying him far, his aide scurrying after him, half-running in an effort to keep up. His face was severe, brow furrowed almost perpetually and accentuated by a military crew-cut. This stern visage cleared the way through the hustle and bustle of the base, soldiers and staff making way for the strict Commander of the Second Branch.

"Why did we not pick it up before now?" he asked sharply as they rounded a corner, his voice gruff.

Lieutenant Melanie Gardener fumbled with her tablet computer, a little breathless as she chased after the Commander. "Unknown sir, sensors did not pick up any hostiles until it was right on top of the Pacific Fleet. We're consulting with NERV HQ."

The commander grunted, unsatisfied with the reply, but not really able to do much else. "And are we certain it's a Pattern Blue?"

"Yes sir," the Lieutenant replied rapidly. "Sensors indicated positive on Pattern Blue almost immediately. Comparisons with the combat and analysis records from Japan confirm it, and First Branch's MAGI concur."

"I see…" Henderson stopped outside a set of glass doors that were etched with NERV's logo. "Can we launch our Evangelion?"

"The President has already sent us the order to do so. Activation protocols are running on Unit-04, and an Eva Transport Aircraft is being readied for launch."

"The pilot?"

"She has been collected and is enroute, sir."

"Good," Henderson nodded. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door, entering the base's command centre. "Let's show the world we can fight the Angels too."

The room they entered was dimly lit, all the light merely coming from the fiery glow of red emergency lights and the artificial light of various computer monitors. It was arranged rather differently to NERV HQ's, a large circular hall rather than a tower. Computer stations were all arranged around a central dais, upon which the main holographic viewing screen was mounted. Behind this, opposite the doors, a slightly raised platform held the senior technical staff's stations, as well as the commander's seat. Henderson made his way towards it.

"Commander on deck!" Melanie announced loudly as she followed him.

Her voice had surprising volume for such small and mousy-looking woman, and it carried across the room easily. Several people turned to offer the Commander a salute, but the majority of the technicians were engrossed in their work. It was their first real Angel incursion, and they had a lot to prove.

Jogging up the steps lightly, Henderson turned and stood at the front of the platform, in front of the senior command crew. He gripped the railings and surveyed the room rather than taking his seat towards the back. Gardener hesitated for a moment, then sat at her station at the back, next to his vacant seat.

The Commander stared at the holographic display, which showed an aerial view of the US Pacific Fleet, several miles offshore. It was in a combat formation, although a number of ships were missing from the group. A couple could be seen pulling back, severely damaged and barely afloat with huge jagged tears in their hulls. Others were little more than sinking wreckages, dotted around and amongst the fleet, spewing oil and black smoke. A closer look revealed lifeboats and swimming sailors in the water.

"What am I looking at here?" Henderson asked, his voice was tinged with the slightest hint of shock, watching a destroyer launching torpedoes at an unseen target beneath the waves.

"That is the Seventh Angel, sir," Lieutenant Hanson replied to the Commander's back. "Codenamed Gaghiel."

Hanson tapped a few keys and a new window opened up on the view-screen, showing an extremely grainy and blurred photograph of a huge, white-skinned something, leaping out of the ocean and into the side of one of the fleet's vanguards. Another window featured a video of the same action, shot from another ship. A second photo appeared over the first, showing the Angel swimming just beneath a ship's hull, its form distorted by water, smoke and debris.

"What do we know about it?"

"Not much," a new voice replied. Dr. Peters, head of Project-E for NERV Nevada, limped around the room to the base of the platform. He fixed the Commander with his usual, slight scowl and shrugged. "It appeared from the ocean, but any idiot could've told you that would happen, they all do."

Henderson raised an admonishing eyebrow at him, which the perpetually grouchy doctor ignored.

"What's different about this one is that it seems to have been made for aquatic operation. Judging by the photographs and footage we've received so far, it's nothing less than a giant, homicidal whale… or perhaps the cousin of Jaws".

"Any special abilities? Plasma blasts or energy whips?"

"Nothing of the sort, apparently Japan gets all the fun stuff. This one here just has the usual AT-Field. The fleet has nothing that can scratch it."

The Commander frowned at the screen. "So where is it heading? Tokyo-3 has usually been the target. Is it going for any of the coastal cities?"

"No sir. It appears to just be circling the fleet." Hanson replied.

"What?" Henderson blinked, confused. "It should've blown right through."

"It's not following expected behaviour patterns. It appeared and directly attacked the fleet without warning."

"And it's toying with them, Jim," Peters added. "Fifteen minutes and its only sunk a handful of ships."

"This doesn't make any sense," Henderson growled, gripping the railings tighter as Gaghiel surfaced beneath a helicopter carrier, breaking the hull in half. "The fleet can't hurt the Angel, so why is it attacking it? What is it after?"

"Maybe it's bored," Peters answered unnecessarily. Henderson glared at him.

"ETA on Unit-04," he snapped.

"Pilot has arrived, sir," Gardener reported. "Just moving the plug into position."

"Good. I want the Eva launched as quickly as possible."

"Affirmative. Inserting entry plug."

The volume and chatter of the command centre rose to a crescendo as NERV Nevada ran through its first official combat activation for their Evangelion. Huge screens across the left side of the command centre became monopolised by the various graphs and readouts for the cyborg's operation and pilot's vital signs.

Checklist is all clear. Synapse synchronisation is holding at fifty one point six percent, with a variation of one point three. Unit-04 is green for go."

"Put me through to the pilot," Henderson ordered.

Another window appeared on the holo-screen, this time a live video feed of Unit-04's plug, tinged orange by the LCL. The image shook slightly as the Eva was moved and mounted to its transport.

A young girl sat within, barely fourteen years old. She clad in a plain, black and grey plugsuit, differing from that of NERV HQ's in that it had padded armour sections and a utility harness. A close-fitting helmet enclosed her head, smooth except for a pair of raised sections, reminiscent of cat's ears, which held the built-in A10 connectors. The visor was up, and they could see her face. The girl looked apprehensive and a little worried.

"Emilia, have you been briefed?" Henderson said.

"Yes, sir," came the reply, the girl's voice quietly polite.

He smiled. "Good. This is what you've been trained for, do your country proud, young lady."

The girl nodded, and gripped the control yokes resolutely.

"Launch in 30 seconds," Gardener reported.

"Okay, inform the Navy that NERV is taking over. Have the Pacific Fleet switch to evasive tactics. They can't kill it, so they should just try and stay alive, I want them available to support Unit-04."

Hanson nodded and began to relay orders into his headset. Henderson began to pace along the edge of the platform, gripping his hands tightly within his pockets.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The communications link shut down, leaving Emilia alone in her plug. She shifted once more, but not due to discomfort. Her meek posture straightening out until she rested confidently in her seat. A smirk appeared on her face.

"Do your country proud," she repeated mockingly, her voice twisted into a bad impression of Henderson's gruff tones. Her voice returned to that of a haughty teenaged girl. "Idiots."

Her Eva shook as clamps wrapped their iron grip around its limbs. The roar of the air transport's powerful engines could be heard even through the armour and flesh of the Evangelion. The world shook, and soon, Emilia Vincennes was flying.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Despite the rapid response of NERV and its quick launch of Unit-04, it still had to travel from Nevada to the Pacific Fleet's position miles off of the Californian coast. In that time, the fleet could do nothing but die, raging against a foe they could not hurt.

Commander Henderson's orders had been met with nothing but bitter laughter. Of course they were trying to stay alive! As much as they wanted to kill the beast attacking them, they had seen how ineffectual their weapons were, seen how easily it could carve through the hulls of their ships. Escape was not an option, the Angel could swim far faster than any vessel in the fleet, and it had even returned to finally destroy one of already crippled ships, limping back to the coast.

The Angel was smart. They knew it could destroy them at any minute, their lives only continuing due to the whims of the alien beast. It had targeted their most powerful weapon first, an experimental cruiser, armed with a huge railgun. The weapon's first shot had missed by mere inches, still drawing out a wail of outrage from the Angel. It had responded by utterly crushing the cruiser, leaping out of the ocean and biting into the bridge tower, before dragging the ship down into the depths, ripping it apart, piece by piece. No other ship had garnered such a violent response.

Sailors and officers alike littered the waves, clamouring for rescue amongst debris and the corpses of their fellows, hoping that the next ship they boarded would not become the Angel's prey.

Half the fleet was sunk or sinking by the time Unit-04 arrived, but to the desperate sailors its arrival was like a gift from God, the distant roar of the heavy transport aircraft's engines drawing all eyes to the sky. The aircraft was a huge black delta-wing, silhouetted against the sky. It seemed to hang still for a moment, then something was dropped from the undercarriage.

It fell like a stone, a humongous crucifix, shining silver in the sun. It twisted in the air, arms and legs stretching out and bending, the crucifix becoming a giant, armoured humanoid. Jets mounted on its limbs and back fired, slowing its fall enough for a controlled landing. Seconds later, its massive feet crashed down onto the deck of an aircraft carrier. The deck buckled, metal screaming as it warped beneath the Evangelion's massive weight, the carrier itself bucking heavily in the waves.

The crewmen swore, grabbing hold of railings, pipes and anything else they could find to keep from falling over as the deck jumped beneath their feet. Aboard the bridge, the radio crackled as a young girl's voice spoke to them.

"Sorry about the rough landing, sirs," Emilia said. Outside, the Eva's huge head turned to look directly through the bridge windows. "This is Evangelion Unit-04, ready for combat."

The silver-armoured Evangelion stood proudly. It looked like any other unit, lithe and slightly disproportionate, heavily armoured. A pair of fin-like pylons were mounted on its shoulders, framing the cyborg's head which, as with other Evangelion, bore a unique helmet. In Unit-04's case it was smooth and featured a strong chin.

It was outfitted with specialised gear, bulky apparatus mounted to its back, forearms and shins. With a hiss, portions of the apparatus broke off. The rocket boosters that had slowed its freefall discarded to fall onto the deck or into the ocean. What was left whirred and opened up, the E-Type apparatus designed for underwater combat humming to life.

Within the plug a timer appeared upon the wall, counting down the Evangelion's remaining power from six minutes.

The captain of the carrier reached forward, spluttering indignantly as he grabbed the microphone, ready to let loose his anger at the NERV pilot who had ruined his runway. Emilia had already closed the communications link however, leaving the captain to rage impotently. Unit-04 turned back to the ocean, staring down into the depths.

A predator searching for its prey.

"So stay out of my way," Emilia growled, all polite pretence dropped.

The pilot's body tensed up and she gripped the control yokes tightly, the Eva responding in kind, its body coiling and hunching over perceptibly. Her visor had been pulled down, hiding her face behind dark glass, a specialised HUD superimposed over her vision. Emilia grit her teeth, lips pulling back into a snarl.

A shadow passed deep below, the Angel making another pass as it circled the fleet. The deck of the carrier groaned once more as Unit-04 bent its knees, jumping as a huge weight was suddenly removed and the Evangelion dove into the ocean. It hit the water gracefully, but no amount of grace could counteract the effect of hundreds of tonnes of armoured cyborg dropping into the ocean, and thousands of gallons of water were displaced explosively. Waves rocked nearby boats, tossing them like toys even as the decks were soaked by a downpour. Unit-04 sank quickly; its body held like a spear to cut through the water, carrying the Evangelion deeper, faster than its weight alone would. As its velocity slowed, Emilia spread her Eva's arms, activating the powerful underwater engines mounted to the cyborg to propel her through the water quickly.

Emilia locked her eyes on the distant shadow and pulled on the control yokes, accelerating as she banked to correct course and increase depth. Unit-04 responded easily to her commands, cutting through the water smoothly and eliciting a prideful grin from the pilot. With a smooth motion, she reached behind herself, pulling a long, smooth-barrelled gun from Unit-04's backpack, an Eva-scale harpoon gun.

Something dropped into her vision, a section of debris from a sinking ship. Cursing, Emilia pulled back on the controls, holding the Eva's arms in front of her to slow her down and prevent a head-on collision. With a snarl, she reached out to bat away the torn metal, as something else drifted down in front of her.

Emilia choked out a gasp, freezing at the sight of a sailor, eyes open and glassy. A corpse, drowned aboard a destroyed ship. Her eyes widened at the sight of several more, in and around the section of ship she'd been about to swat aside. Shivering, the girl ground her teeth, activating the propellers and moving the Evangelion around the wreckage.

"Goddamn weaklings," she growled to herself, but her voice shook.

Her radio crackled. " _Emilia, behind you_!" Henderson shouted.

Emilia gasped again, unable to react quickly enough to the warning as something huge and heavy slammed into Unit-04's back, bowling the cyborg aside like a ragdoll. The Eva spun wildly, Emilia wrestling to right herself. Firing the engines at full blast, she forced Unit-04 into a forward dive. She pulled up and turned, looking around all directions until she spotted the retreating Angel. With a roar, she gave chase spreading her AT-Field wide, just as she'd been trained, reaching out for the Angel with her will.

"AT-Fields connecting, the phase space is weakening," Hanson reported.

"Thank you," Emilia replied, and pulled on the controls.

The harpoon gun bucked in the Eva's hands, firing a forty foot solid steel spear directly at the Angel. The projectile cut through the water at ludicrous speed, before smashing into a solid hexagonal wall of light, Gaghiel's AT-Field. It did not stop, with the field weakened by her own, the harpoon had enough force to break through, shattering the shield like glass. The harpoon embedded itself into Gaghiel's flesh, drawing out wail of anger and pain from the huge creature.

Cheering, Emilia flicked a switch, activating the pulley system built into the gun, and withdrawing the cable tying the harpoon to its launcher. The action caused Unit-04 to be yanked forcefully towards the Angel, reeling her in closer. She flew through the water, flattening out to reduce resistance. Another switch released the prog-knife, and she took hold, ready to drive the weapon into the Angel and search out the core.

Gaghiel turned at the last moment, a movement impossibly fast for a creature so big. The Angel roared, a bellow of primal triumph as it opened its jaw. The creature's torpedo-like snout split down its length, revealing row after row of huge, razor sharp teeth, filling a mouth large enough to swallow an Evangelion whole.

Emilia balked, her eyes widening with fear at the sight of the Angel's cavernous maw, only a quick burst of acceleration keeping Unit-04 from being swallowed whole, but not enough to prevent the Eva from being hit by the Angel's charge, bouncing painfully off of its body as it passed. She rolled, tumbling along the horrible white flesh until a swipe from the long tail-fin caught her in the stomach, sending her reeling away, only to be suddenly yanked in the opposite direction as the harpoon cable pulled taut.

Desperately, the young girl flicked a switch to disengage her line, blasting her turbines to decelerate quickly. She grimaced in pain, her body feeling the stress of being pulled around at high speeds, bruises forming where Gaghiel physically bowled into the Eva.

" _Emilia! The Angel's core is in its mouth!_ " Henderson cried over the comms.

The pilot blinked, remembering the red glow behind all those teeth. "H-how am I supposed to get at it?" she stammered in response.

"We're working on a plan. Delaying tactics, you need to keep it occupied."

Gaghiel made another pass before she could muster up a response, its maw once more aiming to swallow her whole. She dodged again, shooting upwards and away from its mouth, bringing down her knife to stab at the Angel's bone mask. Unit-04's silver fist smacked into Gaghiel's face with a heavy hammer punch, Emilia only then realising that she had lost her prog-knife somewhere earlier in the fight. She spun, looking around futilely for the knife, all too aware that the weapon was lost to the ocean depths.

Another bass roar drew her attention back to Gaghiel. It seemed impossible that the bestial Angel could look angry, but it did, a subtle alteration in its form that suggested it was annoyed with her. Emilia felt herself shrink back in her chair for an instant at the sight, but steeled herself.

"Come on then, you piece of shit. Come and get me!" she snapped, hefting the harpoon gun.

But the Angel remained where it was, its almost tentacle-like fins swaying back and forth in the ocean currents. Pinpricks of red light appeared in the sockets of its facemask, tiny will-o-the-wisps against the black.

"Energy build-up detected! Brace for impact!" Hanson yelled a warning.

Emilia tensed, flaring her AT-Field in front of her to form a shield, a wall against the energy blast. Gaghiel's eyes flashed, but the expected lance of raw power never came. Emilia blinked, confused for a mere moment, then the water began to stir around her Eva. Out of nothing, the water surrounding her became an underwater typhoon, the ocean twisting and spiralling around the cyborg.

The harpoon launcher fired, another steel spear lashing out at the Angel, biting into the blubbery flesh above its left fin. At the same time, Emilia fired all of the turbines at once, leaning back to propel her out of the typhoon and put it between her and the Angel, but the currents bowled her aside, already impossibly strong. The maelstrom grew, throwing Unit-04 around as Emilia frantically tried to escape.

" _The Angel is closing_!" Hanson cried a warning.

" _Get out of there!_ " Henderson bellowed desperately, as if ordering it so could make it happen.

Gaghiel's roars drowned out Emilia's scream.

/o\

* * *

\o/

The conference room, normally used for meetings between Gendo and the members of SEELE, looked rather different when properly lit. It was still rather plain; a circular room with blank walls and a tiled floor, the only feature a set of double doors to allow entrance. A bowl shaped roof held a tangled array of lighting and hologram emitters.

Normally lacking in furniture aside from Gendo's desk and chair, several more seats had been added to accommodate NERV's senior staff.

The Supreme Commander of NERV sat in his usual pose, joined by Fuyutsuki, Dr. Akagi and Misato. Makoto, Shigeru and Maya stood off to the side. In front of them were the projected forms of Commander Henderson and his desk, the American looking more dour and serious than usual. He wasn't sat at the desk, rather stood to the front, leaning against it whilst he tapped his foot, clearly resisting the urge to pace back and forth.

The room was silent as they watched the recordings from the battle, a montage of disjointed combat scenes, shot by various cameras of wildly varying quality. They saw everything from the first sighting of Gaghiel's bulk swimming towards the fleet and their futile attempts to hurt it, to Evangelion Unit-04's dynamic entry onto the battlefield. They watched how Emilia confidently engaged the Angel and how the tide turned. The horrible moments where the Eva's smooth movements became jerky and desperate, mirroring the pilot's panicked attempts to escape in those final horrifying seconds before the silver Eva was savaged.

Once it was done, the holographic replay faded away, and the American commander stepped forward.

"Then we hit the Angel with an N2 mine, it took heavy damage, but managed to retreat," Henderson explained slowly, his words translated by the MAGI into Japanese after a slight delay. It had the effect of an old dubbed film, the man's mouth moving independent of the words they heard, though there was a surprisingly good synthesis of his voice. "I don't know what else to say."

"Explaining everything from the beginning would be fine," Gendo replied curtly.

Henderson flashed him a glare, to which Ikari did not react, then sighed. "We detected the Angel at roughly 1400 hours. It appeared several miles offshore of the western seaboard and ambushed the US Pacific Fleet. It then proceeded to sink numerous vessels over the course of the next sixty minutes."

"It spent an hour attacking the fleet?" Misato said incredulously, leaning forward.

"Believe me, we were confused as you are," Henderson continued. "In all that time, the Angel only attacked a few vessels. Early reports say that roughly a third of the fleet was damaged in the encounter. Realistically, it could've sunk every vessel twice over, with time to spare."

"And of course, with the AT-Field, even with all that time, they couldn't hurt it," she spat, folding her arms.

"Exactly. There was an experimental cruiser with the fleet, all classified of course, but as soon as it fired its first shot, the Angel sunk it. We believe the weapon it carried would've hurt it, but it didn't have chance to put up any resistance. No other ship got such a response."

"So if its purpose wasn't just wanton destruction, what was it?" Fuyutsuki wondered aloud, an eyebrow rising.

"It was waiting for something," Gendo said in a knowing tone.

Henderson grunted irritably. "To begin with, we thought it was just attacking to destroy. Despite it displaying behaviour that just didn't match with what we know of the Angels, it was the only explanation we had at the time."

"So naturally you launched your Evangelion," Fuyutsuki said.

Henderson nodded. "Of course. It was the obvious response, and we had direct orders to do so."

Ritsuko, who had been typing away on a tablet the entire meeting, lowered the device and surveyed the American over the rims of her glasses. "Of course as soon as the Seventh detected the Evangelion, likely due to the activation of its AT-Field, the Angel switched targets and focused on the Eva."

"Which was likely the target all along," Fuyutsuki clarified. "And as we can see, things did not go well for us."

"Indeed. It baited us in, and we fell for it. Unit-04 has suffered critical damage, it's going to be out of action for months. Our pilot is in shock, and it's a miracle we didn't lose her completely, the connections were only just cut in time. We're lucky we could eject the entry plug safely."

"They're smarter than we thought," Misato said, frowning. "It targeted something to draw out retaliation, took out the only thing that could hurt it, and waited long enough to ambush our best shot at killing the thing."

"What worries me is how it knew there was an Evangelion in America to draw out," Fuyutsuki added.

A shudder went through most of the room's occupants at that. Fuyutsuki shared a look with Gendo, both were wondering how this affected the scenario. The Angels were only supposed to target Tokyo 3. Aside from manufacture, the other NERV branches were largely superfluous.

"Can you tell us any more about the Angel's abilities?" Ritsuko asked.

"We've already sent you the little data we managed to gather. But it is my sincere recommendation that we do not engage this Angel in underwater combat if at all possible. It is massively specialised for its environment, and we do not know the extent of its ability to control water. Even out of water, close quarters combat would be difficult. The Angel is about three times the size of an Eva."

"We'll take that under advisement, commander," Gendo intoned. "Make sure this data is distributed to all other branches as well. We cannot afford to lose any Evangelion to this beast."

"Understood."

"You said the Angel left, where is it now?" Fuyutsuki asked.

Another sigh. "No idea. After Unit-04 was disabled, we had nothing that could follow it underwater. We lost track of it after a few miles, the ocean seems to be masking it. We're on look-out for another Pattern Blue, but then we always are."

"I see," Gendo replied, pushing his glasses up his nose. "And whilst Unit-03 now has a pilot they are largely untested and cannot cover both coasts alone. If this Angel continues to assault our American assets, we will have very little defence. Keep us updated on any developments, commander. For now though, your priority must be the restoration of Unit-04 to combat readiness."

"Yes, sir," Henderson saluted.

"That will be all."

Henderson nodded, and the hologram flickered away, dissolving into nothingness as the connection was cut. Gendo stood, signalling the end of the discussion. "You all know what you need to do. The Seventh cannot be allowed to continue attacking us in this way."

He turned and strode out. After a moment, Fuyutsuki cleared his throat and followed. Ritsuko also stood, giving Misato a significant look.

"Time to start re-calibrating the sensor grid I suppose," she said in a long suffering voice. "You had best put that brilliant tactical mind of your to use, Major Katsuragi."

Misato looked away, frowning deeply as she chewed her lip.

/o\

* * *

\o/

On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, James Henderson sighed heavily and rubbed his face tiredly. It was an action he had repeated many times over the past few days, and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to relieve the vague itch he could feel building in them. He was strung out, having barely slept, his nerves on edge through stress and worry.

The feeling was echoed throughout the base. Ever since Unit-04 had been all but destroyed by Gaghiel, NERV Nevada's morale had fallen, the workload increasing as staff rushed to fix everything that had gone wrong. Additional support had been called in from NERV's First Branch in Massachusetts. Everybody was overworked. Between repairs for Unit-04, medical care for its pilot, and attempting to track the missing Angel, there was no shortage of things to do. To make matters worse, there was also the constant need to run damage control on the political front. Henderson knew that PR was trying to twist the events to say that Gaghiel had been instead driven off by the efforts of NERV and the US Navy. They were trying to reassure everyone that the Second Branch could still function in a defensive capacity.

The meeting with the officers from HQ had been the latest of many Henderson had needed to personally attend to. He felt like he'd talked to half the world in the past few days. He pressed the intercom button on his desk. "Melanie, do I have any more meetings scheduled for today," he asked.

"No, sir," the lieutenant responded, the tiredness in her voice not quite masked. "You have one tomorrow with Australian Ministry of Defence, but you're free for today."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

He flicked off the intercom. Talking to the leaders of various countries that bordered the Pacific Ocean had made up the bulk of his work. All of them had been clamouring for information about the Angel or reassurances that NERV were going to do something about it. Henderson knew that Commander Ikari had experienced much the same, despite the Japanese man seeming to be as unfazed as ever.

But then the great Ikari had never had an Eva suffer catastrophic damage and allowed an Angel to escape.

Straightening out his uniform, Henderson shook himself until he could stand with his characteristic straight-backed posture and left his office. He paused only to tell Lieutenant Gardener where he was going before walking in the direction of Second Branch's medical ward.

His path took him past the Eva cages, the main cage looking cavernous without its usual occupant, umbilical gantries and locking clamps hanging open. Its walls gleamed, the technicians taking advantage of it being free to clean off the residue left by the LCL. Unit-04 was still out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. After its pilot had been ejected, the ruined cyborg had been left to sink to the seafloor. The majority of Second Branch's technical crews were out at sea, working alongside the Navy to recover the Evangelion.

He wished in that moment that NERV Nevada had been the only branch in America, so that then they would have had Unit-03 to back up Emilia against Gaghiel. Maybe then they would've won, maybe then their only Evangelion wouldn't have been almost bitten in half and its teenaged pilot admitted to hospital with sympathetic injuries.

He tore his eyes away from the empty cage and walked away, continuing towards the medical ward. He reached the pilot's private room just as her Doctor was coming out. A brief look passed between the two men, one of mutual concern and regret.

"Doctor Kawasaki, glad you're here," Henderson said, reaching out to shake the older man's hand.

Kawasaki accepted the shake, bowing slightly out of reflex. He looked tired, the effects of an urgent international commute.

"Glad I could make it, Commander," the doctor replied in accented English. "The welfare of the Children has long been a priority of mine."

"And we thank you for that," Henderson assured him sincerely.

Kawasaki sighed, slipping his hands into the pockets of his white doctors coat. "Yet despite our best efforts they seem to be getting hurt more and more, James," the doctor said, dropping formality for a moment.

"I know," Henderson's expression was pained. "How is she?" he asked.

"Sleeping now," Kawasaki responded. "She suffered a large amount of bruising, as well as some minor internal bleeding; we've done what we can for now, so it's just a matter of time for her to heal."

"Good."

The doctor shook his head. "I have some concerns about her psychological state though. She would never show it, but in my time with Emilia I found that she is extremely prideful. A near death experience can be very traumatic and may prove to cause severe issues with her down the line."

Henderson frowned. "Are you suggesting she may have PTSD? What do you suggest we do?"

"I do not know. I often have to say I am not a psychiatrist, even if I am told that I know people well," Kawasaki smiled modestly. "Even so, a little positive reinforcement would probably be good for her."

"I'm sure we can manage that," Henderson nodded. "She's a gifted young lady."

The doctor smiled at that, before his face turned serious. "I would not let her pilot any time soon, James. Anything that reminds her of the fight could make things worse for her."

"That may not be possible, doctor. Emilia's the only pilot America has, if we get attacked again..."

Kawasaki held up a hand to quiet him. "I understand the problem, commander, as much as I don't like it."

Henderson sighed. "Ok. I leave this in your capable hands then, doctor. Thanks again."

They bowed to each other, and Henderson turned to leave.

"Remember to look after yourself too, James," Kawasaki called after him.

/o\

* * *

\o/

 _AN: So, here is an expansion into one of the other branches of NERV. Couple of weeks ago we had Bethany, now we have Nevada. I chose this because I wanted to make the Eva world larger, more involved than just Tokyo-3. I wanted smarter, more threatening Angels. Naturally, the first choice for this to me was Gaghiel. As the ocean-born Angel of canon, it has an absolutely massive reach and potential striking area, and that's before you remember that the Eva-world's oceans are far bigger than in RL, due to Second Impact._

 _I also got to utilise Unit-04 and Maria Vincennes (here her name changed to Emilia, to avoid confusion later on), one a casualty in the OG timeline, the other a side-character from the White Paper RPG (the same source as Iblis' original form from the Prologue). Emilia is a tricky character to write, and is largely OC, due to the RPG basically putting her out as a near-copy of Asuka._

 _Everyone else is of course pure OC; Henderson, Gardener, Hanson, Kawasaki. Only Dr. Peters resembles anything existing, being an expy of Hugh Laurie's Dr House._

 _So, there' s that Chapter, Henderson and Emilia will be showing up later. But, for the reviewer who cried out for more redhead, you're getting your wish! Asuka is back next chapter! See you then._


	9. Chapter 8 - The Oceanborn Princess

**Chapter 8**

"So now I have to plan an operation that can defeat a shark-Angel that can control water," Misato complained, drinking deeply from her glass.

She was sat in a booth in a small western-style bar that was a favourite of Jushiro's commando unit. The sergeant himself was sat opposite, his wheelchair now traded in for a pair of crutches. He still looked tired and pale however, his recovery far from complete.

He smiled sympathetically. "Sounds awkward. I'm sure you'll manage it though, Major."

Misato snorted in response. Taking another sip, her expression sobered slightly as she surveyed the room. It was still early afternoon, and the bar was practically empty but for a few older patrons and the barkeep. They had chosen the place for that reason, as it made it easier to talk in secret.

"Anyway, have you found anything?" she asked, leaning a little closer, her voice hushed.

Jushiro sighed, eyeing the condensation dripping down his own glass of beer. "Nothing really," he replied quietly. "Except that the geofront has a lot of unmapped tunnels and rooms around and beneath Central Dogma."

"Really now?"

"I wouldn't get your hopes up. From what I've seen they're empty except for dust and broken computers." He scratched at the new prosthetic attached to his wrist distractedly. "If I had to guess, I'd bet they were all left over from the building of headquarters. The only thing odd about them is the sheer quantity."

Misato frowned, obviously disappointed. "How much have you explored?"

"Who knows? I'm one crippled old soldier, and the tunnels seem to go on forever," he shrugged. "Have you found anything?"

"Nothing much," Misato replied, looking vaguely embarrassed and frustrated, glaring at her beer. "I've spoke to a few Section 2 agents. The few that have seen anything all have different opinions. I've been told there as many as eight or as few as one. That the killer or killers are both men and women. The majority agree that they were small, perhaps even a teenager, but then one guy goes and tells me it might have been a frickin' miniature Evangelion."

At this, the major drained her beer vehemently. She placed the glass down with rather more force than was necessary, a solid thunk sounding out as it hit the thick wooden tabletop.

"You know what?" she said, pointing at Jushiro. "If someone tells me that it's Lieutenant Ibuki and her friends running around out there, beating criminals up in her spare time, I might just believe it."

The sergeant pulled a face at that image, unable to equate the young, timid Maya Ibuki with the image of the faceless killer ripping the Shamshelim's head off with their bare hands. It occurred to him that he'd heard the technician's voice over the radio that night, even as he burst out laughing.

Still chuckling, he clambered awkwardly to his feet, using the crutches for support. "That's my cue to leave, Major," he grunted, gesturing towards the door. "Your old friend will be in town soon, right?"

"Yeah," Misato nodded, her tone changing oddly. "He'll be arriving with Unit-02 in a few days."

"Good. Maybe we'll have better luck with his help."

"Maybe…"

Jushiro smiled reassuringly. "Anyway, you're staying?"

"Think I could go for one more drink," she grinned crookedly.

"Alright, see you later."

Jushiro hobbled away, leaving Misato alone. She sat in silence, her mind a mess of speculation and old memories. Misato found herself wondering how her life had gotten so confusing and difficult lately, and quickly blamed the Angels. With so much going on, she felt she barely had time to relax anymore, and she knew her alcohol intake had risen to compensate. She wondered if Shinji had noticed anything, then felt a slight pang of guilt that she perhaps wasn't the best role model for the young pilot. After a few minutes of frustrated thoughts, she got up to order another beer. When she returned to the booth, another man had taken the seat Sergeant Asari had vacated. His head was bowed, features hidden beneath the brim of a baseball cap. He was probably deep in thought, as she doubted anyone could fall asleep that quick.

Shrugging, Misato turned on her heel and went to find a vacant seat.

"Major Katsuragi."

It wasn't a question, the man knew who she was. She looked down at him, and saw that he hadn't moved, his head still down. The dim lighting of the bar serving to further mask his features.

"Sit," he said. "I need to speak to you."

Misato paused, weighing her options. The man was acting relatively non threateningly, his hands visibly resting on the table in front of him. He had no visible weapons, whereas she had her sidearm, safely holstered in a shoulder sling beneath her red jacket. After a moment's hesitation, Misato fixed a neutral mask onto her face and sat down opposite the man.

"So, who are you?" she asked, despite not expecting an answer.

A cocky smile curled the mans lips. "A potential friend," he answered.

Misato snorted. "Fine, _friend_. What do you want to talk about?"

The man paused. "We know you are seeking to solve one of NERV's many mysteries."

Misato's posture instantly became guarded, and she sat back, reflexively reaching towards her gun. The man held up a placating hand.

"Relax, we're on your side," he said soothingly. Misato wasn't reassured, her eyes studying him warily. He shrugged. "Fair enough. I understand why you feel the need for caution. It's admirable really, and I respect that."

"Just get to the point," Misato snapped.

Another shrug, a smirk visible beneath the cap. "You are searching for information relating to the identity of the unknown entities that killed the Shamshelim."

"I don't know what you talking about."

"Don't play coy with me, major. If you think I'm going to swallow that flimsy cover-up story, you've got another thing coming. We know more about NERV than you can imagine."

"So you know who it was then."

He sighed. "But unfortunately not everything. NERV's secrets run deep."

"Ahh, I see," Misato raised an eyebrow. "You want me to feed you information?"

"If that is agreeable," he nodded.

"And what would be in it for me?"

He spread his hands. "All the answers you have been looking for."

Misato blinked, before frowning. "Say I don't believe you?"

"It would be of no loss to us," he replied, shrugging again. "It is a matter of faith. Do the right thing, major. Doing this could earn you some powerful friends, gain protection for you and yours."

Her frown deepened at that, exhaling heavily through her nose. She wasn't sure if she liked where this was going. "You keep saying 'we', who are you talking about?" Misato asked, deciding to change the subject.

If possible, the man's smirk grew wider. "All in good time, major." He stood up slowly, keeping his face shadowed."I bid you farewell. Please try and restrain yourself from following me, or else my friend at the bar will have to make a mess."

He nodded towards a suited man sat nursing a glass of whiskey. Despite not appearing to have paid them any attention, Misato could see a glint of something metallic pointing at her from underneath his armpit. She grimaced and nodded.

"I haven't decided whether I will help you."

"Yet I'm sure you will, in time," the man replied, turning away. "We'll be in touch."

She watched him as he left, eyes flickering over to the gunman every few seconds. She waited a few moments after he left, then returned to her beer. The gunman left half a pint later, but she let him go, reasoning that chasing some unknown gunman was far to dangerous to do alone. She couldn't call Section 2 or the commandos either, as it would invite uncomfortable questions.

Misato suddenly felt very vulnerable, wondering if it wasn't better to just stop the search and live in ignorance. Her life had enough complications without adding in conspiracy theories and espionage.

She finished the rest of her beer in frustrated silence.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Part way across town, in the rooftop garden of a mall, four teenagers relaxed on a rare day off from school. Shinji leaned back on bench, a can of coffee in hand, basking in the warm sun. The heat made his burned skin tingle slightly, but he bore the discomfort as he hadn't had much chance to get out lately. Touji and Hikari were also relaxing, the tall boy's head resting upon his girlfriend's lap whilst she lazily stroked his hair. Kensuke was stood to the side, fiddling with a camera and tripod.

"Hey, pass me that lens would you?"

Kensuke's voice broke Shinji out of a daydream. Blinking, Shinji leaned forward and took a long telescopic camera lens out of its protective casing, passing it over to his bespectacled friend. With a murmured thanks, Kensuke fitted it to his camera and stood back. He'd set a rather high-quality camera atop a tripod near the edge if the roof. The lens, an expensive piece that Kensuke had spent months saving for, would allow him to take pictures from clear across the city whilst still retaining the quality. This was exactly what he intended to do, seeing as Ramiel's crystalline corpse was still taking up a portion of Tokyo-3's skyline.

Cranes surrounded the Angel, slowly dismantling the creature's body. It was a grisly sight, red blood oozing out of the cracks in the crystalline armour. Bit by bit, NERV and JSSDF crewmen were cutting the huge octahedron into massive square slabs, lowering them down to the ground where the chunks could be carried away for storage and study.

"I still can't believe you killed that thing," Kensuke exclaimed. He peered through the camera's viewport, making small adjustments to line up a shot.

"Ahh, no. I didn't," Shinji shook his head. "Miss Misato fired the cannon. I just held the shield."

"Heh, Miss Katsuragi is amazing," Kensuke grinned. "Strong _and_ beautiful."

Touji looked up, lifting his head off of Hikari's lap in the process. He raised an eyebrow. "Why would ya need a shield if Katsuragi just sniped it?"

"They wanted me to protect the cannon if the Angel shot at us," Shinji shrugged. "If I didn't have the shield, it would've vaporised Miss Misato and all the work crews."

"That very heroic, Shinji," Hikari smiled. "Risking your life to save all those people."

"Yeah! Our Shinji's a regular badass," Touji grinned.

Kensuke grinned too, then his face dropped. "Wait… didn't the Angel melt that mountain?" he exclaimed, pointing out into the distance.

Everyone followed his finger, which was pointing out over the lake. There, past Ramiel's corpse, was the melted face of what had once been a heavily forested mountain. The trees had burned away, reduced to mere ashes, and the rock and stone of the mountain had been liquefied by the sheer heat of the Angel's energy beam, twisted into organic, flowing shapes. A new valley had been dug clean through the mountain, leaving thousands of tonnes of molten stone to run like water down to the shores of Lake Ashi. Shinji shifted uncomfortably as everyone stared at him. None of them were stupid, even the fitness-focused Touji. They all understood what such an act required. That it could be blocked was practically unimaginable.

"You blocked that," Kensuke gasped slowly, unbelieving.

Silence.

"That's how you got those burns, isn't it?" Hikari said softly.

Shinji nodded. "Y-yeah. It boiled the LCL in my plug," he mumbled, looking down at the floor. "I had to do it… I couldn't let them die."

The group went silent, the air between them growing uncomfortable. Kensuke stepped away from his camera and sat down next to Shinji, muttering that he could take pictures some other time. They sat there quietly for a time, the teenagers gathering around their friend in support. They had been told that piloting was a dangerous job, that Shinji needed their friendship to survive and keep a little bit of normalcy in his life. They never imagined the sheer scope of what he had to do however, even after the first Angel had attacked. It had seemed like an old kaiju film or anime, get in a robot and punch the monster a bunch. Dangerous surely, but not so ridiculously life-threatening as mountain-destroying lasers. Would all the Angels be like this?

After some time, Hikari cleared her throat politely. "Anyway, Shinji. I notice we haven't seen Miss Makinami around for a while. Has she gone back home?"

Shinji shrugged, flashing a grateful smile at her. "Err… No, Makinami is still here. I think she said something about spending time with her guardian. He came here a few days ago."

"Mari has a guardian?" Touji burst out, incredulous. "How does anyone manage ta look after that one?"

"I'd look after her just fine," Kensuke replied. His lecherous grin faltered at Hikari's glare.

"I think he's in the military," Shinji said. "She calls him 'Mr Soldier'."

Touji snorted.

"It's nice that she has somebody to look after her," Hikari said.

"Just like you have Major Katsuragi."

Shinji nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. "All the pilots have a guardian as far as I know. Miss Sohryu in Germany has Inspector Ryoji, and Miss Vincennes in America actually has the American commander as a guardian." He frowned. "But yeah, it's nice living with Miss Misato and PenPen."

"Course it is, Katsuragi is a total babe!" Kensuke cried.

Any further conversation was side-lined as the bespectacled boy was given a lecture on proper respect for women by the class representative.

/o\

* * *

\o/

"I'll see you soon, Misato" Kaji crooned, drawing out her name in a husky voice.

The reply was a rather vehement 'goodbye', and the line went dead.

He sat there in his cabin aboard the _Othello_ , a wide grin plastered on his face. Out of pure habit it was his patented roguish smirk, a crooked smile that had won him the affections of countless women.

All but the one he really wanted.

Slowly, the grin faded, and he lowered the phone, placing it on the table in front of him. The spy sighed expressively and rubbed his face. His expression suddenly made the man look rather grim. He was young, relatively, but there was a heavy weight in his eyes that spoke of much heartache and strife, not uncommon in those who had lived through Second Impact.

Things were beginning to heat up again. The world had settled for a time, but the now the Angels had begun their assault upon humanity, and it had triggered the powers of the world to begin moving. Every organisation and individual that had interests in Project-E, public or covert, had shifted, testing the waters, and were beginning to manoeuvre themselves into the best position to profit.

NERV and SEELE were chief amongst them, and Kaji was caught between them. Officially a NERV employee as Special Inspector and the guardian of Unit-02's pilot, he was nonetheless being commanded by SEELE, the shadowy overlords responsible for most of the recent major events, to spy upon Gendo Ikari.

It was a tall order. Whilst the Supreme Commander was obviously up to something, Ikari was an extremely meticulous and careful individual. So much so, that it would be difficult to ever pin anything on him. It was a perilous mission, but it had been deemed that Kaji was the one with the best chance of succeeding where others had failed.

Kaji reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes. Tugging one out, he held it between his lips and lit it. The spy sucked in big lungful of smoke and lowered the cigarette. Staring at the discarded phone, he exhaled slowly, filling the air with smoke and shrouding himself within the cloud.

It appeared Misato had gone and got in the middle of it all. For some reason, she had begun to question her loyalties, and perhaps rightfully so, considering who her employees were, but it was dangerous. Considering that a third party organisation, nominally an enemy of NERV, could learn enough to enquire after her findings, then the ultra-paranoid Gendo Ikari must surely know as well. Right?

But if he did know, why had he not reacted? Did he believe that Misato would not betray NERV? Kaji doubted Ikari would ever trust any mere employee of his, save perhaps the old professor, no matter how webs he had spun to bind their loyalties. The image of Gendo's impassive face, mounted on the body of a giant spider, glaring down at the cocooned forms of NERV personnel, made Kaji snort.

A knock at his cabin door broke him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, Mr. Kaji!" sang a young girl's voice, muffled by the metal bulkhead. It echoed slightly in the corridor outside, distorting the sound further, but the speaker was unmistakeable.

Kaji stifled a groan, feeling a little guilty for needing to, and took another drag from his cigarette. It seemed that Asuka was in a good mood. Whilst that meant her would not have to endure her many and varied complaints, he would instead have to put up with her awkward attempts to seduce him.

Leaning back in his chair, he turned towards the door. "Come in," he called out.

Clad in a flowing yellow sundress, Asuka slid into the cabin, stepping around the door and leaning back against it to close it. She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes, her lips slightly pouted in an attempt to look more appealing but only made her look all the more innocent.

Asuka was indeed a pretty young woman, exotic with her mixed heritage and fiery red hair, but even if he had not known her since she was a child, Kaji was still almost twice her age, old enough to be her father. It made things a little uncomfortable at times, helped in no small part by the fact that Asuka was rather sheltered for her age, despite her much vaunted college education. She barely interacted with other her peers, and her life had almost always revolved around the Eva, consisting of a multitude of lectures, scientific tests and military exercises.

Her attempts to woo him by acting in a way that she thought was 'sexy' were almost sad. Kaji just didn't have the heart to do more than feign ignorance to her advances. The girl was very much a spoiled princess, and he feared that rejection would break her. She just wasn't equipped to deal with it.

What he needed was some way of redirecting her affections on to someone more suitable. It had been difficult back in Berlin, as they had mostly been confined to Third Branch. Tokyo-3 however, had much more potential, as the pilot there had a lot of freedom, still attending regular school with others in his age group.

Asuka moved forwards with a smile, stepping into the swirling cloud of acrid smoke that had permeated the air of the small cabin. The girl blinked furiously, her nose wrinkling in disgust.

Kaji fixed her with a neutral look.

Asuka looked back, her eyes imperious, and coughed lightly, pointedly. Sighing again, Kaji relented and crushed the half-finished cigarette into an ash tray. Asuka was of the opinion that Kaji didn't need to smoke to be cool.

That was not the reason he smoked.

Nevertheless, his response caused Asuka to smirk in feline satisfaction. She flounced over to him and stood close, propped up on the balls of her feet so that her breasts were at eye level.

Kaji looked her directly in the eyes. "What is it, Asuka?"

"How much longer will it be before we get to Japan?" she asked, a faint whine in her voice. "This sea air is ruining my hair!"

Kaji eyed her, seeing no difference in her hair, which looked as long and red and silky as ever. It was stressed enough being bathed in LCL all the time, he doubted a little bit of sea salt would cause any problems, and Asuka cared for it religiously. Still, he knew better than to argue.

"Just two more days, Asuka," he replied with the air of one who had answered the same question for almost a week. Probably because he had done so.

"Finally! I heard I missed another Angel attack whilst we have been on this ship," she growled. "Even America has been attacked now. I'm supposed to be the First Child, the pilot of the first mass production type Eva, and I've yet to see combat!"

"You know we can't help that, Asuka," Kaji replied. "The Angels attack wherever they want."

Asuka sniffed. "It's just not fair. The test type has fought three Angels already! Lord knows that's why Tokyo-3 has suffered so much collateral."

"Now now, Asuka. The Second Child hasn't had your training, but he's done his best. You've seen the reports, the Angels are powerful, hard to predict. Any victory is still amazing. You should really be proud of your fellow pilots."

"But Kaji…" Asuka began.

"Inspector Kaji, please report to the bridge. Repeat, Inspector Kaji, please report to the bridge."

He looked up; this was the first time since they'd boarded that he'd been called at all. Knowing that they were two days out from Japan, Kaji could not help but feel a sense of foreboding. He stood up.

"Go back to your quarters," he ordered, not looking at Asuka.

"But…"

He fixed her with a firm glance, the rareness of it enough to silence the girl. He spoke softly though. "Asuka. I will call for you if you are needed. For now, as your guardian, I am asking you to return to your quarters."

She nodded mutely, and scurried out the door. Shaking his head, Kaji followed.

Many people viewed Kaji as a liability. He was a scruffy, disrespectful, immature layabout, infuriating in his ability to weasel his way into anywhere, envied in talent at making women fall for him. He seemed to lack any understanding for the gravity of a situation, serving only to undermine it with lewd jokes and a thoroughly nonchalant attitude.

Kaji enjoyed this persona generally. It meant people underestimated him. He kept his wits about him, even as he fooled around, and it allowed him to study people things without anyone being any the wiser. In his line of work, it was a useful skill.

It also probably helped a little in keeping him sane. He couldn't argue that acting that way was not ever fun for him.

So, whist he remained inwardly serious, Kaji could not help but act out a little as he stepped onto the aircraft carrier's bridge. Standing just inside the doorway, he tapped his foot down on the ground to announce his entrance and saluted the Admiral sloppily, stopping just short of being too mocking.

"You called, Mr Admiral, sir?" he inquired, his voice humble and polite.

The Admiral's answering glare held all the power of a naval bombardment, and the spy swore he could see the vein ticking in the man's temple. He smiled back disarmingly, glancing aside to wink at a nearby female officer. The Admiral practically growled at that, his hackles rising behind his bushy moustache.

There was a pause as the two men stared at each other, before the Admiral visibly took a deep breath, as if to calm himself.

"Just look out of the window, Inspector," he growled tersely, indicating with a nod the window to his right.

Kaji blinked, raising an eyebrow but humoured the man and glanced across at the large windows that framed the bridge on three sides. High up in the ship's conning tower, he was afforded an expansive view of the launch deck below, and the fighter jets lined up on it. All around them, the UN fleet kept pace, escorting both them and the super-carrier, 'Over the Rainbow' with its precious cargo. At first, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, only the ocean and the fleet, a constant scene since the voyage began. Then he saw it, a long black line stretching from the ocean and high into the sky, right in the middle of the fleet. Ships manoeuvred to go around it as they passed. His jaw slackening a little, Kaji let his eyes drift upwards, tracing the thin object up into the sky.

There, standing several hundred feet above them, was the bulbous black body of what could only be an Angel. The thing he had first seen was a leg, one of four spindly appendages that looked far too weak to be holding up the Angel's large body. The thing engulfed them in its shadow, and Kaji was suddenly struck with how ridiculously small he was in comparison. Its main body alone was the size of the ship, larger than an Evangelion, and with its long legs, it stood nearly three times as high. Were the Angels getting larger? The one that had almost destroyed Unit-04 had been close to this size, and the one before that had been bigger than the first two, which had been more the same size as Unit-01 when they fought. If this kept up, even the titanic Evangelions would be no match for them.

As he stood there gaping in disbelief, another leg swept passed the other side of the ship. It set down on the surface of the ocean far in front, but instead of sinking beneath the waves held fast. Where it connected with the water, it omitted a flash of light. For an instant, a plane of rainbow coloured light, an impossibly perfect hexagonal, was visible. It faded as quick as it appeared, and the ocean appeared to flash freeze. The ice spread out, creating a floating platform like a giant snowflake, irregular yet somehow made of perfect geometry and utterly unique.

Against all logic, the thin ice supported the immense weight of the Angel, and it continued on in its ponderously slow pace, seemingly oblivious to the human fleet it has stepped over.

"That's… different," Kaji quipped.

The Admiral smiled sardonically. "So what do you propose we do about this, NERV?"

He spat the last word as if it wounded him. It was no secret that the Admiral was grating against the idea of his fleet being used as a glorified ferry for the Evangelion.

"Every bone in my body is screaming at me to open fire on that monster. Right… Now…" he continued on, his entire body bristling with futile rage. "You are lucky I am not a stupid man, Mr Rouji. I have seen the reports, and I know what these beasts are capable of. I will not risk the lives of the men and women of this fleet on some fool's delusion."

Kaji did not react at all to the man's outburst, listening in stony silence. The Admiral turned around, putting his back to him.

"NERV has claimed jurisdiction over this situation. They contacted us moments before the Angel was in range. Your orders have been delivered."

An officer moved over to Kaji, handing him a small data card. He knew that such data would've have been sent with heavy encryption, obviously for his eyes only. He took it without comment, understanding that the Admiral must have some inkling of what his orders were despite having not seen them.

He pulled a PDA from his pocket and inserted the card into its side. The NERV issued device accepted the card readily, and with the addition of several of his passwords and a fingerprint, began translating the data. The contents were minimal, a single message.

 _Special Inspector Rouji._

 _The Eighth Angel has been verified at your location. It has been designated: Matarael_

 _You are to use the tools at your disposal to vanquish this threat before it reaches Japanese waters and Tokyo-3, no matter the cost._

 _-Supreme Commander Gendo Ikari_

Kaji glared at the screen. Heartless bastard wouldn't care if they all died. Apparently even Asuka and Unit-02 were expendable to him. Clamping down on his anger, he looked up to find the Admiral watching him again.

"So, Inspector… How do you propose we kill this thing?"

/o\

* * *

\o/

If looks could kill, Asuka's eyes would be burning holes through the thick steel walls and boiling the ocean beyond.

How dare Kaji treat her like a child! Sending her to her room like some naughty little girl! She was better than that, she was an adult! Sixteen years old made her a woman, damnit! She had the body, she had the brains. She was the senior and most qualified pilot of the single greatest war-machine ever created by humanity and she did not deserve to be treated like a child!

When would Kaji see her as a woman! Good god, that man was blind. Making googly eyes at every moderately attractive female that passed him by when there was a perfectly good woman right beside him the whole time. Nobody knew him like she did, nobody would care for him like she would, and nobody would love him as much as she ever did.

She paced her cabin, but as small as it was she could only move a few steps before having to turn, her fists clenched in anger, and a murderous glare fixed on her face. Her blood was boiling at the injustice of it all. She should be making her own decisions by now; she should be privy to these important conversations, especially when they inevitably concerned either her or her Eva.

She stamped her foot in sheer frustration and stopped in her pacing. Her chest rose and fell with deep, anger-filled breaths, exhaling hard through her nose as she grit her teeth. Slowly, the anger waned a little, and the girl sighed, forcing herself to relax as she looked up at the small porthole.

Asuka blinked as something flashed by the window. "What the hell…." she muttered, and rushed towards the porthole.

She squashed her face against the cold glass, staring intently towards the front of the ship. Her eyes widened as she saw what could only be an Angel's long leg touch down on the waves, creating beautiful ice float. She followed it up, much as Kaji had done, but unlike the dumbfounded expression he had displayed, Asuka's only conveyed pure animalistic glee.

Finally, a chance to prove herself. She could finally slay her first Angel and earn the adoration of Kaji and everyone else. She would show the fruits of her training, show why she was the First Child, and kill it quickly and efficiently.

She jumped down from the window and dived down to her cot, reaching beneath it. Pulling out a slim, metal briefcase she flung it up onto the mattress. She opened it quickly, revealing a carefully folded, red and orange plugsuit. Asuka smiled triumphantly as she saw it.

Refastening the case, she leapt to her feet and made for the door. It was time to go hunting.

/o\

* * *

\o/

"No, we cannot fight the Angel like this," Kaji insisted. "Unit-02 lacks any underwater combat gear, it'd stuck aboard the supercarrier."

"Where, as I understand, it could still neutralise this thing's defences, rendering it vulnerable to our guns," the Admiral shot back.

The two men were still stood face to face, arguing about Kaji's orders to kill the Angel. While it was theoretically doable, the spy thought it was way too risky in their current state. The Admiral was being obstinate however, fully confident in his fleet's abilities to destroy the Angel with Asuka's cooperation.

"Asuka would be a sitting duck! The Angel could destroy the Eva and the _Over the Rainbow_ in a single attack."

"Then we kill it before it can do that."

Kaji growled in frustration, throwing his hands up. He stepped away from the Admiral and bowed his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Fine, but what if you can't?" he asked, trying a different tact. "What if it retaliated against one of the other ships… or even this one? You would be condemning an entire crew's lives."

The Admiral eyed him, saying nothing.

"Look, we have no idea what this Angel can do," Kaji continued. "You said you've seen the reports. Every Angel to date has revealed some new ability in the middle of a fight. It's too risky."

"So you propose we do nothing?"

"No, just that we bide our time. If we can keep up with it, I can try and arrange for the appropriate gear to be brought out to us. Failing that, we catch the Angel between the fleet and NERV's forces at the coast."

Kaji stared directly at the Admiral as the American thought over his words. After a moment, he turned back to face the windows, watching the Angel as his fleet gave chase. He began to stroke his moustache with one hand.

"Send my orders to the rest of the fleet," he said. "Match the Angel's speed and remain on standby. Mr Rouji, make your arrangements."

"Yes, sir. Thank you," Kaji replied, walking over to stand next him. "It shouldn't take long, I just need… wait a minute…"

Kaji interrupted himself, squinting intently out of the window. The Admiral looked at him questioningly. He could've sworn he'd just seen… Kaji moved over to the window quickly, grabbing hold of a pair of binoculars. Raising them to his eyes, he scanned the deck of the _Over the Rainbow_. There! A flash of red caught his eye and he refocused, zooming in on it as a figure disappeared beneath the canvas covering the supercarrier's cargo.

"Oh goddamnit, Asuka," he muttered to himself. He turned to smile crookedly at the Admiral. "Ok. There might be a slight change of plans…"

/o\

* * *

\o/

The plug spun downwards, screwing itself into the armoured socket in Unit-02's spine. Heavy duty hydraulics hissed as the Eva's thickly armoured neck plate sealed it so over the plug. Inside, gyroscopic stabilisers kept Asuka from spinning with the plug, whilst also keeping held her mostly upright, even within the downward facing Evangelion. With the final hiss of a pressure seal, all ambient noise was cut off, the cyborg's body helping to block out the sounds of several of the super-carrier's crewmen. The sailors had arrived as she climbed into the plug, yelling at her to 'get out of the robot', and 'wait for orders'. The teenager had smiled sweetly at them, and with of flick of her hair, continued climbing into her cockpit, sealing the hatch behind her.

The idiots didn't seem to realise that she was doing them a favour. There was an Angel outside, and the only way to defeat one was with an Evangelion. If they didn't want to accept that, then fine, she would show them the truth of it. They'd all be praising her once the huge alien had been reduced to a burning corpse.

Asuka settled herself into the control chair and flicked a switch. The interior of the plug lit up in response, small LED lights fixed into the chair and around the seams of the plug walls working to illuminate the small space dimly. The chair itself began to hum quietly, the electronics within whirring as they activated.

" _Standby… Ready,_ " a computerised voice announced.

"Prepare for launch!" Asuka commanded.

" _First Child identified. Set up. Beginning launch protocols. Flooding Entry Plug. Initiating A-10 connections. Cognitive morphology set to German. Warning… External power disconnected, running from battery_."

Asuka drowned out the rest of the litany, having heard it a thousand times before. Remote startup was quick and dirty, the system not needing to wait for the NERV operators to work through each stage of the process. It was admittedly less safe, and slightly less fine-tuned, but Asuka was a veteran and well-versed in the activation procedures.

As LCL began to fill up the plug, she concentrated on her breathing, preparing for the uncomfortable switch from air to liquid. At the same time, she sought to settle her mind, focusing on synchronising with the Eva. She would not allow stray thoughts to interfere with her sync score. The LCL reached her mouth, and she drank the thick orange liquid in with practiced ease, barely having to fight the conditioned gag reflex as her body told her she was drowning.

Of course, someone just had to interrupt her right in the middle of it all, the Eva's radio crackling with a quick burst of static. Kaji's angry voice followed.

" _Asuka! What the hell are you doing?_ "

Asuka smirked. "My duty as a pilot, of course. Kaji, watch me!"

" _I asked you to stay in your quarters_ ," Kaji's voice changed, gaining a hint exasperation. The teenager heard none of it though.

"I couldn't, Kaji. As the First Child it is up to me to destroy the Angels," Asuka replied, smiling proudly. Hungrily. "It's time to show the world what a fully trained pilot can do!"

" _Asuka, wait! It's too risky right now. We're going to arrange for better equipment and reinforcements_."

The teenager rolled her eyes. As if she needed reinforcements. "Oh, Kaji. I don't need to wait. I am the great Asuka Langley Soyru. This fight is already over. Just watch!"

" _Asuka, I am ordering you to-_ "

The rest of Kaji's words were cut off as the pilot cut the connection. She bared her teeth, gripping the control yokes tightly as the final protocols loaded up. They didn't believe in her yet… but she would show them.

" _Synchronisation complete,_ " the computer announced.

The plug walls flashed, a kaleidoscope of colour giving way to a surrounding view of the bottom of the Eva's tank. The red Eva's extra eyes served to provide a wider field of vision compared to the other units. Asuka grinned widely, and she flexed the cyborg's fingers experimentally. Unit-02 was the pinnacle of mankind's creative talents, the perfect war machine, a living fusion of flesh and machinery. It was the first true Evangelion, upon which all following units were based. It was her steed to glory!

Asuka pressed Unit-02's hands against the bottom of the tank and brought the Eva to its feet.

/o\

* * *

 _AN: And we're back, and with perhaps the biggest depature in an Angel to date. Matarael, the giant weeping spider that fell without much ado is seen here casually striding past Asuka and the Pacific Fleet. Here, it is the Eighth Angel, a departure from being the 9th in canon and missing from Rebuild, and appearing before both Israfel and Sandalphon in the canon order. Readers from the forums will already be aware of what EDT's Matarael can do, and let me tell you, it isn't going to be an easy fight, so look forward to that!_

 _Aside from that, not much else to say. Asuka is a joy to write, though a difficult one in making her_ Asuka _and not just 'generic bitchy tsundere'. I'm not sure if I've accomplished this, but time will tell. Kaji as well is difficult, but I think I'm happy with my portrayal. One thing I like to remember when writiing him is his manga-backstory (I think that's what it is), depicting him as an orphan just after Impact, running around a ruined city with his gang. Stuff like that influences his actions greatly, as much as his relationship to Misato and Asuka, and his double-agent status._

 _Finally, we have Misato being approached by a third party looking for information. Who these people are will become important later on._

 _Oh yes, and Admiral Addams' name came from Battlestar's Adama. Naturally._

 _See you next time!_


	10. Chapter 9 - A Corrosive Engagement

**Chapter 9**

Grim faced, Kaji watched the huge tarpaulin that had been used to cover the Evangelion bulge in the middle and rise. Thick ropes and steel loops gave way to the strain as the cargo began to stand up, snapping with visible force and sending crewmen scurrying for cover. He held a radio handset, its speaker only relaying static, forgotten as the spy could only watch in impotent, frustrated silence as his young ward yet again did as she pleased.

"What a spoilt young lady," Admiral Addams observed from behind him.

Kaji just sighed, and ran a hand down his face, unable to tear his eyes away and watching through his fingers. Unit-02, resplendent in its crimson armour, stood proudly on the deck of the super-carrier, which pitched drunkenly with the sudden weight shift. The tarpaulin was now wrapped around its shoulders, emulating a great ragged cloak that billowed in the wind. The Eva raised its chin in a superior manner, placing its hand on its hips as it studied the Angel.

"So, can she defeat that thing?" the Admiral asked with a significant look.

"Possibly," Kaji shrugged. "She's a good pilot, has the best scores in training even."

"But?"

Another sigh. "But she's untested. She doesn't have any gear. We don't even know a thing about the Angel's abilities outside of walking on water."

"She is also a little arrogant, yes?" Addams added with a raised eyebrow. Kaji paused, then nodded gravely, to which the Admiral smiled. "Well then, we will have to make sure she doesn't get us all killed."

He moved away, taking position at the centre of the bridge.

Tell the fleet to prepare to support the Evangelion," he told the officers present. "We will not be shown up by a child!"

/o\

* * *

\o/

Asuka glared at the Angel imperiously, studying its massive form. It had stopped roughly half a kilometre in front of the fleet, standing motionlessly even atop the waves. It looked nothing more than perfectly symmetrical, a flat-topped bowl with four equidistant legs, eight stylised eyes around the top of its body each drawn within a triangle. One single eye, more real than the rest, could be seen staring downwards from the bottom of the bowl.

Beneath her, the Over the Rainbow was slowing to a stop, and she could see peripherally the rest of the fleet moving to surround the Angel. She sneered, as long as they knew to stay out of her way, they could do what as they pleased.

She bent down into a fighting stance, both reducing her profile and making ready to move at a moment's notice. The air shimmered around her briefly as she reached out with her AT-Field, forming an invisible barrier between her and the Angel.

Matarael remained still, not reacting to her presence. Asuka frowned, glancing down at the expanse of deep ocean between them, her right index finger

twitched. She was not used to deploying without some kind of ranged weapon, and close combat would be problematic at best.

"Feh! Didn't even pack me a rifle," Asuka grouched. "But I'm not the First Child for nothing!"

She flicked a switch, and the Eva's right shoulder fin hissed, the front springing open to reveal a rack of eight spikes. She pulled a trigger, firing one of the spikes at the distant Angel. It crossed the distance in seconds, smashing into Matarael's AT-Field like a hammer hitting a gong. It hung in the air for a second, surrounded by sparkling shards, before dropping into the ocean.

Matarael seemed to shiver. Its legs bent and its body dropped rapidly, stopping almost as suddenly once he reached eye level with the Evangelion. It shivered again, this time the motion being accompanied by a chittering sound, as if a swarm of locusts had taken flight. The closest eye began to bulge out, stretching forwards. The pupil split in two, revealing a vertically aligned maw, row after row of razor sharp teeth visible within. The whites of the eye expanded like balloons, the stretched flesh glowing a sickening yellow.

"Eww, that's just disgusting!" Asuka yelped.

The eye shuddered a final time as it reached the peak of its growth. The maw flexed, then snapped forwards, the sacks of yellow light either side rapidly shrinking as it projected thick yellow liquid directly at the Evangelion. Asuka recoiled, once more rocking the boat. She solidified her AT-Field in an instant, and the shield caught the liquid, flaring up with brilliant light. The substance hissed and boiled, huge globules of it splashing outwards from the point of contact and down into the ocean.

One large drop landed on a nearby destroyer, covering the forward deck in the thick, yellow pus. Almost instantly, the ship began to list, the prow visibly shrinking and curling in on itself, vapour pouring off of it. Sailors ran for the rear, or just simply jumped overboard to escape the rapidly spreading corrosion. Several small explosions further damaged the ship as the acid worked its way through to the destroyer's weapons.

Asuka could only stare with grim fascination, keeping the AT-Field barrier in place as the corrosive liquid slowly dripped down into the ocean.

"That thing just shot acid at me!" she screeched snapping out of the momentary reverie. Turning, she pressed a button, and her voice boomed out of the Eva's external speakers. "Hey, get this ship moving. I'm gonna tear that thing apart with my bare hands!"

A man on the deck near the bridge appeared and shouted back, Asuka recognised him as the supercarrier's captain. She couldn't hear the words, but the answer was easy to see... 'Not a bloody chance, missy.'

"Verdammt feiglinge," she growled at them, slipping into her native German.

Rather than react angrily to her insults, the gathered sailors on the deck began shouting and pointing behind her. The captain disappeared, running back into the bridge. The huge ship rumbled as its engines powered up.

Asuka turned in time to see Matarael had closed the distance, a path of ice left in its wake as it towered above her and the ship. A pressure fell upon her, oppressive and angry, and she yelped as it brought a leg down on her like a spear, meeting no resistance from her AT-Field. Instinct took over, and she leaned to the side, barely avoiding being impaled, sweeping Unit-02's arm out to try and deflect it.

The offending limb slid across her forearm and scored a deep line into the Eva's armoured hip, digging deep enough to hit flesh. Gasping with sympathetic pain, Asuka twisted the cyborg about, tightened her grip and caught the leg in the crook of her arm. Matarael pushed against her hard, the massive Angel's strength causing the Over the Rainbow's stern to almost lift up out of the water.

Snarling, Asuka released her prog-knife, grabbing it with her free hand. The snarl erupted into a vicious teutonic battle cry as she drove the blade into the Angel's black flesh. Matarael screamed, the sound not unlike that of fingernails on a chalkboard. It jerked back its leg quickly, almost ripping the knife from the Eva's hand. The ship's stern splashed back down violently, its prow jumping up. Sailors were tossed around like ragdolls, flying across the decks, several being thrown overboard.

The pressure withdrew as the Angel reeled back, and it took Asuka a moment to realise that Matarael was pulling its AT-Field back from her own, reinstating the almost invulnerable protection it provided.

"No chance," Asuka shouted. "You're mine!"

She reached out with her own AT-Field, pushing against the Angel's own and keeping the phase-space equalised. Without missing a beat, she fired another spike, piercing the vulnerable flesh of one of the acid sacks.

The metal spear began to corrode almost instantly, but it had done its job, the Angel's face shrinking back as Matarael screamed. Acidic blood sprayed out in an arc, splashing across the supercarrier's deck and Unit-02's chest.

Alarms blared as Asuka's screams joined the Angel's.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Kaji felt useless as he stood at the back of the bridge, watching the battle unfold. He was used to being a man of action, right in the thick of things one way or another. Having Asuka cut him off left him without anything to do except for watch her go at it alone. Aside from that, he was the only NERV operative around, the only others being a pair of technicians escorting the Evangelion. Both were currently trapped aboard the beleaguered super-carrier, leaving him alone in a sea of UN Naval officers.

He was also angry. Angry at Asuka for her damnable pride and need to prove herself. Angry at Gendo Ikari for putting him in this position. Angry at himself for not being able to do anything about it.

The spy vented his frustration on a pen, steadily chewing the end into a crumpled mess in lieu of a cigarette.

Comparatively, Admiral Addams had sprung into action the moment Matarael had started moving. He had quickly organised rescue teams for the crew of the melted destroyer, and was now ordering his fleet to disperse and surround the fight between the two titans. From where he stood, Kaji could see the ships forming a horseshoe shape around the supercarrier, keeping their distance from the Angel's deadly spit.

When Unit-02 was sprayed with the acid, the corrosive liquid covering a large portion of its torso, his stomach dropped out. He could almost hear the young girl's screams as her synchronisation with the giant cyborg forced her to feel its pain. Without the support of Berlin's command staff to reduce the feedback, the pain had to be worse than anything she'd felt before.

"Goddamn it, Asuka…" he muttered again.

The two combatants reeled back from each other in their agony, Unit-02's smooth, almost disbelieving movements in contrast to the jerky spasms of the Angel. Kaji's jaw dropped as the Evangelion rolled to the side and slipped off of the acid-eaten deck, hitting the water with a gigantic splash.

"Do something!" he snapped, turning to glare at the Admiral.

Addams turned slowly and glared back at him with annoyance. "All ships… open fire!"

Cannon and machine guns mounted aboard every ship opened up, the sound like a hundred thunderbolts striking at once. Matarael was engulfed in a cloak of explosions, tracers and smoke trails. With its AT-Field being equalised, the ordnance connected directly with its body, drawing blood as it tore craters into its black flesh. The Angel's horrific screams could be heard for an instant through the cacophony before a volley of missiles hit home, once more turning the air around it to fire.

With the massive Angel still standing however, the UN Navy continued its assault. Round after round smashed into the creature as they tried to destroy it, the sheer amount of ordnance it had survived was testament to the size and power of Matarael.

True to form, the Angel was not about to go down without a fight. Amongst the fires ravaging its body, the remaining seven eyes decorating it could be seen bulging out and growing, mimicking the first. As the UN Navy circled, pouring on everything they could to destroy it, Matarael returned fire, spitting huge globs of acid back the fleet.

Kaji, alongside the rest of the Othello's crew, could only watch in horror as the Angel began to sink ship after ship. Every shot that connected could eat through the thick steel hull of any ship in seconds, even a glancing hit could cause a ship to begin taking on water. They were fighting a losing battle, the spy realised. Without the Eva, they just could not do enough damage to the Angel to kill it.

He grit his teeth, still chewing the pen. Did Asuka realise what she caused here? Men were dying, either by acid, fire or water, they were dying to the Angel's wrath. The wrath she'd invoked. If she survived this fight, could she live with herself, knowing what her actions had cost? He didn't even know if she was still alive. Chances were, she was unconscious, lying comatose within her Eva as it sank to the seafloor. If she was lucky, the oxygen would last until NERV could come fish her up. If not…

The pen split, and Kaji spluttered as ink flowed into his mouth.

/o\

* * *

\o/

She felt like she was on fire, her chest burning so ferociously that she could hardly breathe through the pain. It felt like her skin was tearing itself apart, seeping down through to muscle and bone. Her back arched as her screams came out in a torrent of bubbles. Eyes wide and staring unblinking at the ceiling of the plug. Asuka had never felt pain like this before, not in all her time piloting the Eva. It consumed her completely, leaving her unable to think of anything else.

Slowly, the automated processes built into her plugsuit and the Eva began to activate. Synapse connections split relieving the incoming flurry of pain, and a surge of painkillers and endorphins was injected into her bloodstream worked to numb the rest. The teenager felt like she was falling, caught in the middle of conflicting sensations.

And suddenly everything was cold.

Her body felt lighter, as if the weight of the Evangelion had been lifted from her. The burning sensations floated away and she could breathe again. Blinking, Asuka came back to herself.

She stared upwards. The walls of the plug were lined with a series of warning symbols and flashing lights. Not least amongst them was the dwindling time left in the Eva's battery, with just over a minute of power remaining. Beyond that the world had become distorted, as if viewed through an imperfect lens. It took a moment to realise that she was underwater, the sky visible through the water above. To the side, she could see the bottom of the Over the Rainbow's hull, deeper than it should be as ragged, acid eaten holes allowed water to flow in.

Turning, she could see the hulls of the rest of the fleet, several now sinking or sunk. Debris and struggling sailors could be seen in the water around them, smaller dinghies skipping across the waves to rescue them. Fire blossomed overhead, and she saw it. The Angel. It was still fighting, somehow taking all the punishment the UN Navy could dish out and paying it back in full.

A shape moved down past the Eva. It was her prog-knife, dropped in the throes of agony. She stared at it dumbly for a moment. Slowly, she reached out a grasped its hilt. Touching it seemed to send a jolt down her arm, and rage flooded through her, backed by a burst of adrenaline. Did they think she was down? That the Angel had defeated her, the great Asuka Langley Soryu? Growling, she wrenched on the controls, fighting the weight of the ocean and her own failing synch ratio. Unit-02 responded with sluggish, jerky movements, feebly trying to counteract its own mass and the restrictions of its water. It groaned as it reached out for its foe.

"I will not lose!" Asuka growled, her voice strained as she tried to brute force her way upwards.

Something gave way. Synapses realigned inexplicably, Asuka's sync ratio spiking. Unit-02's eyes flashed, matched by a red glow from amongst the melted ruin of its chest. It swept its arms down, powerfully displacing water and shooting itself upwards. Its body glistened, an AT-Field reasserting itself with renewed vigour.

As Matarael stumbled back from another volley, the red Evangelion burst upwards from the ocean, roaring from within its helmet. Asuka fired several spikes at point blank range into its hide, then grabbed hold of them, wrenching the Eva up and onto the Angel's body, out of sight of its acid-spitting mouths.

Matarael bucked and squealed, trying to throw her off, but Asuka held on with grim determination. Leaning back, she emptied the last of the javelins within her launcher, stitching a trail across its back. She climbed up higher, clambering up towards the centre of the Angel. The Navy's bombardment had stalled, retargeting to avoid hitting the Evangelion. Asuka grinned manically, imagining the eyes of every man and woman in the fleet watching her as she triumphantly raised the knife for the killing blow.

"Watch me, Kaji. Everybody," she whispered.

Kneeling on the Angel's back, Unit-02, its chest a ruined mess and its eyes glowing, held the blade in both hands above its head. It brought it down with all the strength a building-sized cyborg could muster, plunging it deep into black flesh. Matarael screamed horribly, louder than any it had previously uttered. Not content, Asuka brought down the knife again and again, ripping into the flesh with one hand as she stabbed viciously with the other, digging deeper and deeper into the Angel's body.

Blood flowed freely, drenching the Eva as it dug in. Matarael convulsed, wracked with pain, its legs flailing around like that of a wounded spider, barely able to hold the gigantic Angel up and out of the waves. In the last few seconds, Asuka found what she was looking for, a smooth, glasslike red orb, deep in the centre of the Angel's body. Her face a rictus of animalistic rage and triumphant glee, she brought down the knife one final time, cracking the core's surface and sawing deep into it.

With one final spasm, Matarael collapsed, splashing down heavily into the ocean. It floated there, its body surprisingly light, mouths leaking acid into the water. Rising up slowly, Unit-02 looked over towards the aircraft carrier nearby, somehow appearing to convey immense pride. Then finally, its battery gave out and the red Eva tipped over backwards, lying depleted and still on its angelic raft.

/o\

* * *

\o/

A blanket of tense silence fell over the fleet as Matarael died, the only sounds that of outboard motors and the hissing of acid still eating into metal. Aboard the command bridge of the Othello, the air was one of quiet shock as they stared at the Angel's corpse, Unit-02 lying triumphantly atop of it.

"Is it dead?" someone murmured.

Kaji stepped forwards, walking right up to the front of the bridge. He pressed his hands against the glass, frowning intently at the Evangelion. His worry was obvious. The Eva's final movements had been practically feral, animalistic in comparison to its earlier showing of military precision. Kaji couldn't help but wonder if the cyborg had gone berserk. It had never happened with Unit-02, but he knew it was possible.

"Contact NERV," he said stonily. "They will confirm…"

A comms officer rushed to follow the request. The spy felt Addams step up beside him, but didn't look around. After a moment, the officer spoke up.

"NERV HQ confirms that the Angel is dead. Pattern Blue is dissipating."

The tension on the bridge fell away slightly at that, people audibly relaxing in response to the news.

"A rather different sight to see it first hand," Addams finally commented in a neutral voice.

That was the reaction of most people. For most, the idea that the Eva was a cyborg rarely carried over, so it was often referred to as a purely mechanical construction. Seeing it move often broke that delusion, and the sight of acid-eaten flesh beneath the chest armour in this case made it more than obvious. There had been fearful mutterings amongst the bridge crew when Unit-02 had emerged from the ocean. To hear its muffled roars as it tore into the Angel like an injured beast…

Kaji swallowed and finally looked back over his shoulder at the Admiral. The old man was glaring out of the window, his face set like stone. Kaji paused, then turned around to fully face the man and bowed formally.

"Sir, I…"

Addams held up a hand, interrupting him. "Spare me your apologies, Mr Rouji." His voice was now brimming with repressed rage. "It won't fix the damage done."

Kaji straightened slowly. The Admiral's steely glare was being directed straight past him still, out towards the red Eva. It didn't take a genius to work out where Addams' anger was being directed. Kaji suddenly experienced a feeling of dread.

His eyes widened. "Sir, she's just a girl."

"Exactly," Addams roared, causing everyone present to stop and stare at them. The Admiral was not finished though, and he continued, practically growling out his words. "How NERV ever got away with training children to be soldiers, I will never know. I fought in some of the worst of the post-Impact wars to put an end to such practices. Gendo Ikari should be shot for doing this, and to his own son of all things!"

The Admiral exhaled heavily, taking a moment to compose himself. When he spoke again, his voice had become dangerously low.

"I have got a lot of letters to write today, but I will make sure that people know that the blood is on NERV's hands."

Kaji could feel himself deflating, ashamed for even being associated with NERV, chastised by the older man. He looked back at the Admiral with sorrow in his eyes. "I'll take a list of names," he said quietly.

Addams continued to glare at him for several seconds, the snorted dismissively. He turned his back on the spy and addressed his crew. "Get the girl out of that damned robot. She's to be confined to her quarters for the rest of the trip. Set up a cordon and begin salvage and rescue operations. I want damage reports and a list of casualties on my desk ASAP. Call Command for support."

"The Evangelion?" some brave ensign questioned.

Addams glared at him. "It can stay where it is. The Rainbow is sinking anyway. We'll tow it back to Japan in the morning."

Various crewmen scurried off to enact the Admiral's orders, moving perhaps a little more quickly than normal, wanting to avoid his anger. The old man stopped to give Kaji one more inscrutable glare, then left the bridge. Sighing, Kaji followed, intending to be there when Asuka got out of the Eva. With any luck, she wouldn't be lynched.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Matarael's huge body and its oddly flat back made Asuka's retrieval rather easy. Even with the fallen Evangelion and the huge bleeding hole it had torn open in the Angel's body, there was more than enough room to land a pair of transport helicopters upon the Angel's corpse. Despite all the extra weight, the corpse remained buoyant, leaking blood and acid into the red ocean. Before it had even properly touched down, Kaji jumped down from the chopper, first to disembark in his haste to get to his young ward. One of German Eva technicians, safely rescued from the supercarrier, followed him. The engineer's colleague had suffered a rather nasty head wound during the battle, thrown against a bulkhead when Unit-02 had grappled with the Angel. A naval medic trailed after them, and the three men started running towards the Eva.

Other crewmen dismounted from the helicopters behind them, teams of engineers spreading out to fix hooks and pegs to the corpse so it could be towed later on. Amongst them, a small unit of marines took up position, alert to any threat.

The Angel's body made for an odd and difficult surface to be running on. Primarily covered with smooth scales, footing was treacherous due to a lack of traction, worsened even further with many being uneven or wet with blood and seawater. On top of this, the scales gave a little when stood upon, the flesh beneath evidently a little spongy. What would've been fine hair to a creature as big as Matarael grew up from between the scales, several foot long needles that were like the trunks of young trees.

Despite the obstacles, the small group made it to Unit-02 without problems. The technician took the lead as they approached, walking right up to the Eva's shoulder. The German man began to scour the armour for a concealed access hatch. After a few moments he found it, opening a small panel so he could enter a numerical password. An armour panel next to it opened to reveal a large lever and several switches. It was labelled 'Manual Release' in several languages.

With the Eva powered down except for life-support, it took the combined effort of both Kaji and the technician to flip the lever. There was an audible clang and locking clamps within the Eva's armour disengaged. The technician flipped a couple of switches, activating the hydraulics, and the small group retreated hastily to avoid being crushed by the moving armour plates. Steam billowed out from seams in the Eva's armour as it depressurised. The huge fortified metal plate that protected the cyborg's hunched back slid outwards, then folded down, revealing the spinal port and entry plug secreted beneath. After a moment, the plug wound its way out of Unit-02 and began to leak LCL as it drained.

Automatically, a small hatch fell open in the bottom of the plug allowing a rope ladder to uncoil and fall to the ground. Kaji stepped forward and took a hold of it, but before he could begin to climb, the plug's access hatch rattled and fell open. Asuka's face appeared within the dark interior. The girl looked a mess, peering down groggily. She was dripping with LCL, the thick orange liquid clinging to her, leaving her hair matted and stringy. She shifted and moved closer to the hatch, but paused as her expression became pained.

Kaji grabbed at the ladder, intending to climb up and carry the pilot down, but Asuka shook her head vehemently. The girl's pride was enough that she would not allow herself to show any weakness, even to him. She lowered herself over the edge and began to descend shakily. Resigned to watching fretfully from the below, he held the ladder steady for her. Every small wobble or misjudged step made Kaji's stomach leaped up into his throat, expecting at any moment for her to slip or pass out and fall.

Luckily, she made it most of the way down, slipping only as she neared the bottom as she missed a rung. With a yelp, the pilot fell the last few feet into Kaji's waiting arms. She landed with whimper, but eagerly wrapped her slender arms around the spy's shoulders.

For a moment, Kaji thought that perhaps her fall had been a little less than accidental, but did not care. He hugged her in a fatherly manner, uncaring of the LCL ruining his clothes and simply happy to see her alive. Slowly, he knelt down so he could he could place the pilot on the ground and pulled back. The naval medic bustled over and began to examine her, and Kaji noticed that the much of the front of the girl's plug suit had been melted away, the remainder barely covering her. The skin underneath was inflamed red with several small blisters.

His eyes widened even as he averted his gaze. How high had her sync ratio been to have caused that such feedback that it even damaged the plugsuit?

"Did you see me, Kaji?" Asuka asked proudly, her voice slightly strained. She had apparently not realised how she looked.

Kaji turned back to her, looking down directly at her eyes, unsure what to say. "I saw. You foughtwell, Asuka," he replied carefully. He yanked off his tie and began to unbutton his shirt.

"She's got some pretty nasty burns," the medic told him, standing up. "We can fix them, but not here. Even with what I've got on hand she's going to be in some pain until we get to Japan."

Kaji nodded, frowning heavily. Asuka appeared not to have noticed, smiling wearily at his praise even as she struggled to her feet. He finished taking off his shirt and draped it around the girl's shoulders, hoping to preserve her dignity a little. Seeing how shaky she was, he offered her his arm. Hesitating, the girl accepted the support, perhaps finally realising how much she pain she was in.

Slowly he led the pilot, still ignorant to the consequences of her actions, back to the waiting helicopter. He was somewhat glad that Asuka was a little of out, walking with her eyes on the ground in front of her. If she looked up she would see the sinking ships all around the Angel, and glares the men and women were sending at her. Each one expressed disappointment or anger, perhaps even a little fear.

They reached the helicopter and he helped the pilot climb up, directing her towards the seats at the back. He sat down next to her and the medic joined them. After a moment, the helicopter began to take off again and Asuka cuddled up to him. Sighing, Kaji stared out at the dead Angel, watching the crewmen work.

Movement within the bloody hole caught his eye, and he leaned forward, frowning.

"Kaji? What is it?" Asuka questioned weakly, sensing his consternation.

He didn't answer, staring intently. Surely it was just a matter of the Angel's body settling, or a trick of the light, but he couldn't be so sure after speaking to Misato about the Sixth. He grabbed a headset, waving at the pilots of the helicopter.

"Hey! Tell the men down there to get everyone away from that hole," he shouted into the microphone.

"What?" The pilot replied, confused.

"It's not dead!" Kaji cried.

The pilot hesitated, looking at his co-pilot. The other man shrugged, but flipped a few switches on  
the radio.

"Be advised. Potential threat within the creatures wound, exercise extreme caution," Kaji heard him relay, repeating the message.

Down below, the marines began to react and started to corral the personnel away from the hole and towards the landing zone. Several walked closer to it carefully, rifles trained and ready. Nothing happened for some time, and Kaji thought that perhaps he had been wrong.

Light shone abruptly from deep within the wound, from the cracked and broken orb of the Angel's core. Like glass, a portion of it exploded outwards in a shower of LCL and red shards. Hissing and spitting, a creature the size of a small car leaped out and began to charge out of the wound, scuttling forward on four spindly legs.

It appeared as an amalgam between the Eighth Angel and a scarab beetle. Its body was oval, covered in a segmented black carapace, but it differed from its progenitor in having a recognisable head. Insect-like with clicking mandibles, it was crowned by the archetypical bone mask, though this one was engraved with a triangular pattern and possessed only a single, unnervingly human eye. It ran right at the marines who opened fire almost immediately, their bullets ineffectual as they ricocheted off of the creature's carapace. The Mataraelim barrelled right through them, forcing the men to dive aside. It ran on, weaving slightly hissing and snapping at anyone in its path as it made a beeline for the edge of the Angel's corpse. More marines were firing at it now, unable to cause much more than superficial wounds.

Kaji could only watch as it reached the edge and jumped off, Asuka shouting beside him to be allowed back into the Eva.

"It's going to escape, you idiots," she roared in German, barely audible over the helicopter's rotors.

The Mataraelim hit the water and began to run along the waves as the Eighth had done, flash-freezing a set of icy stepping stones under its feet. Skittering around the gathered ships, it picked up speed, no longer running towards Japan and heading west.

A destroyer, patrolling the fleet's perimeter turned to follow, its cannon tracking it. Machine guns stitched a trail across the ocean in its wake. The cannon fired as the Mataraelim fled out a hundred metres from the fleet, throwing up a geyser of seawater as the shot exploded just off target. A second shot exploded just in front of the Angelspawn, and it skittered to a halt. Turning to hiss at the destroyer, a halo of light appeared above it. The Mataraelim turned back away and dived into the ocean.

By the time the helicopter carrying them had landed on the deck of the Othello, the Angel had disappeared both from sight and all sensors.

/o\

* * *

\o/

Behind his orange-tinted lenses, Gendo read Kaji's report, an internal anger growing at the bad tidings it relayed. Every sentence deepened his consternation. The politicians and journalists of the world would have a field day with this, and there was no way cover it up, not with an entire UN fleet as witness. He could hear the old men grumbling already.

The Soryu girl had evidently inherited her damnable pride from her mother, and it was all the more destructive with her having access to the Evangelion's power. With it, she had potentially damaged relations with the UN beyond repair. They were already perhaps the least trusting of their allies, despite SEELE's ministrations.

She had also almost lost them an Evangelion, and had certainly caused it to become heavily damaged. Both the warmachine, and to a lesser extent its pilot, were still important to the first stage of the scenario. The Angels needed to be defeated before Instrumentality could begin. That there was now a second Angel on the loose, even in reduced form, jeopardised his position in more ways than just questions of his organisations effectiveness.

The girl would have to be dealt with. She would either conform or suffer the consequences.

Gendo turned his head and glared out of the window. He sat silently for a few moments, watching the clouds floating past the wing of the small business jet he was aboard. Slowly and deliberately he closed the laptop and returned his attention to the man across from him.

"I trust everything is well, Commander Ikari?"

The other man, Chen, Commander of NERV Beijing was relaxed. Leaning back in his seat, a glass of brandy held loosely in one hand, he was an opposite to Gendo's straight back and stern face, even if he too was nursing a small dash of brandy.

Gendo inclined his head a little. "Nothing that cannot be dealt with," he replied simply.

Chen smiled and bowed his head back. "So, back to business then," he sipped his drink. "The budget for a new unit had been approved, yes?"

"Indeed. The Security Council finally cleared the budget for Unit-08."

"Despite the opposition…" The Chinese man muttered, earning him a glare from Gendo.

"Unfortunately, the so-called successes of the Jet Defender series and the JSSDF's positron cannon have brought up the old arguments again. You know how the council loathes spending money, even in defence of the world." Gendo sneered and looked back at the window. "It is folly. The Evangelion is the only true way to defeat the Angels."

"Relax, I am but a messenger," Chen smirked. "They only want to avoid another Second Impact. Despite the resentment and lobbying, numerous countries are still constructing either Evangelions or components for them."

"And what about your country?"

"We'll gladly produce Unit-08 for you. Other countries have claimed the rest, and China wants its own Eva. We already have the necessary installations, all that is missing is a pilot." He paused, setting down his empty glass. "But then, that is not what you're really asking me, is it?"

Gendo grunted. "The project I froze in 2010. I want it restarted and completed."

"Why the sudden change of mind?"

"It has become necessary."

Chen smiled benevolently. "Then it is good that the project is already in its final stages, yes?"

Gendo blinked.

"We have known of SEELE and their goals for some time now, Commander, and will have no part of it. We completed the project as insurance against it."

"You tread dangerously, Chen," Gendo growled, staring daggers at the other man. "I froze that project for a reason."

Chen leaned forward, suddenly angry. "I do not care. We could not sit idly by whilst the true threat to humanity continues to dictate how things are done," he spat. "Ikari, you are in the best position to oppose them. This has been done to support you. Third Impact and Instrumentality cannot be allowed to happen!"

The two men had locked eyes, glaring at each other. Both had power and cunning, evident in their positions as leaders. The tension between, once veiled was now palpable. Slowly, it began to fade and they relaxed back into their seats. Gendo raised his arms, bridging his hands under his nose. It was interesting to see how people could be nudged into following his plans with the most minimal of effort. Sometimes their reactions surprised even him.

"Very well. You shall have the final components needed to complete the series," he said.

Chen nodded gratefully, and topped-up his glass "Thank you, I will make the transfer arrangements when we land."

Gendo nodded, grinning behind his hands.

/o\

* * *

 _AN: Don't have much time to think up a proper AN this chapter. Suffice to say, this ain't your Dad's Matarael!_

 _Also, Unit-02's computer voice on startup is specifically a Nanoha reference, just for kicks._

 _Remember to leave a review, and I'll see you all next chapter!_


	11. Chapter 10 - Beast in the City

**Chapter 10**

Coastal countryside blurred past the windows of the black sedan, on one side forested mountainside, on the other deep red ocean, its surface punctuated by the ruins of Old Tokyo. The buildings were being slowly reclaimed by nature, seventeen years of rebirth in the wake of Second Impact, ane the weathered grey concrete was slowly being covered in a carpet of lichen and moss. Small trees clung to windowsills and rooftops offering patches of green, whilst random swathes of bright colour indicated blooming wildflowers, promising yet further new growth

Shinji gazed out of the vehicle's window from the passenger seat, allowing the passing scenery to carry him away, daydreaming as his eyes took in the multitude of colours rushing by. He listened to his old S-DAT through earplugs, the familiar melodies working to further relax him. The teenager's mind drifted lazily through the sensory input, letting him just escape within his own mind. It was nice to get away from everything in that fashion. It kept him sane.

"So, are you looking forward to having another pilot around?" Misato asked from beside him.

They were driving out from Tokyo-3 to Shin-Yokosuka to pick up Asuka and Kaji from the port, Misato at the wheel of a Section-2 sedan. Her Alpine had been temporarily traded in for the larger NERV-emblazoned vehicle for the extra seating capacity. Strictly speaking, it wasn't entirely necessary for the Operations Director and Second Child to be transporting personnel to the fortress-city. Misato had been told as much, but she had pulled rank and gone ahead anyway, wanting to see her old ward again. She also felt it would be good for team-building if the pilots could meet in person as soon as possible.

Politely, Shinji removed his earplugs and shut off the small music player. He shrugged in response to Misato's question.

"I suppose it would be nice to make a new friend," he allowed, speaking slowly. "And the First Child is a really good pilot."

In truth Shinji did not know what to think about Asuka's pending arrival. He'd gotten used to the status-quo of life in Tokyo-3, something that even Mari's arrival, though loud, had failed to shake up. Mari had a penchant for running off though, and she had barely been seen once her guardian had arrived in the city. It was hard to know how Asuka's arrival would affect things.

"And she's a girl…" Misato crooned.

Shinji sighed even as he felt his face heat up, knowing that he had flushed red at the suggestion. He thought he would be used to Misato's schemes to try and get him a girlfriend, confused as they were by her own rather overtly sexual nature and constant innuendos. Unfortunately for him, his own modesty and awkward teenage hormones just left him flustered even after two years of exposure to it all.

Asuka was rather pretty though…

Shinji shook himself mentally. He'd met the German pilot, sort of, just the previous year. NERV had arranged for them to participate in a virtual combat operation, utilising the Evangelion simulation bodies and MAGI to bridge the distance of half a world. The operation had been an exhibition, showing the world just what the Evas could do in a bid to ensure continued funding for the organisation.

Citing her seniority as the First Child, Asuka had quickly assumed command and proceeded to blitzkrieg through the entire operation almost single-handedly. The whole thing had left Shinji rather in awe as he struggled to keep up with the European firebrand. She had revelled in being centre of attention, stopping only to lambast him for any mistakes and warn him to not get in her way. Shinji was left with the impression of a rather overbearing and powerful young woman. In a way, he found her a little bit scary, despite whatever Misato believed.

Looking back at the older woman, he saw that her face had turned serious.

"Please look after her though, Shinji," Misato said sombrely. "I lived in Germany for a few years, and it can be daunting to be new in a foreign country."

Shinji nodded. "Of course, Miss Misato."

"Thank you," she smiled. "Asuka's not really that used to people her own age either, so it would be good if you could help her meet a few people. Maybe introduce her to your friend, Miss Horaki."

"Just not Toji or Kensuke," Shinji added in a deadpan, picking up on an unspoken thought. The two boys could be a little silly around attractive women, even with Hikari around.

Misato snorted. "Well of course, I can't be having any competition now," she joked.

Shinji just groaned.

They made the drive in good time. Rolling up to the main gates of the port and flashing her identification, Misato threw her political weight around and drove right across the docks and up to where the _Othello_ now rested. Leaning on the car, they stood amongst the hustle and bustle, watching interestedly as huge cranes lifted the damaged Evangelion onto a waiting flatbed.

Out in the bay, a small flotilla of boats and helicopters swarmed over the Angel's gigantic rotting corpse. What to do with it was a source of great consternation. Between various groups clamouring for the right to study and the need to dispose of much of it without further contaminating the ocean, a small logistical nightmare had developed that its immense size was not helping in the slightest.

After a short wait, a dishevelled man with a distinctive ponytail appeared at the top of an access ramp. A thin cloud of smoke drifted lazily in the wind from a cigarette he had between his lips, and he held a plain metal briefcase in one hand. Rouji Kaji saluted them and started down the ramp. Sucking in a breath, Misato folded her arms and started forwards, her face set into a neutral expression. Shinji followed her.

"Hi," Kaji greeted them simply, raising his hand in a little wave. He took the cigarette from his mouth and flicked it aside.

Misato sniffed. "Welcome back to Japan, Inspector," she replied, a little stiffly.

"So formal," he exclaimed with mock offence, hand over his heart. "Don't say you're not happy to see me again?"

"Like I would be," Misato growled, refusing to look at him.

Kaji smirked at her, an unmistakably fond look in his eyes. Glancing over, he sidestepped so he was stood in front of Shinji.

"Shinji Ikari, the Second Child," he said, offering the teenager his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Shinji smiled genially and took the spy's hand, bowing respectfully. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr Kaji."

"Oh, no, please call me Kaji," the older man said, pulling a face. "'Mr' makes me sound old."

Misato coughed.

Glancing sidelong at the woman, Kaji's smile grew wider. He leaned closer to Shinji conspiratorially. "So, you live with Katsuragi, right?"

"Err… yeah."

"Tell me then, does she still toss around in her sleep?" Kaji winked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Shinji nodded and Misato whirled around, sputtering. "What the hell are you saying?" she roared, her face flushing a deep red.

"Same old Misato," Kaji murmured, watching her.

Misato growled. "One more word, Kaji…"

She trailed off into mumbled threats, before simply opening her jacket and pointing at her holstered sidearm vehemently. The spy took a step back, holding his hands up in mock surrender

Any further banter was interrupted by the high-pitched buzzing of a small engine. Looking up, the trio saw Mari Makinami swerve around a forklift upon a lurid pink Vespa. Even from a distance they could see a wide grin appear upon the girl's face from beneath her similarly shaded helmet.

The teenager brought the obviously souped-up scooter to a stop right in front of them, sliding round and kicking up a spray of smoke and gravel. She hopped down energetically, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she greeted them.

"Yahoo," she chirped, shooting Shinji a cat-like grin.

"Hello, Mari," Misato replied politely, whist Shinji just smiled weakly.

Unclipping the helmet, Mari reached up to remove it, in the process stretching out her entire body languidly. Unable to help himself, Shinji just stared, wondering if she behaved this way on purpose or was just a natural exhibitionist.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Kaji whispered into his ear.

Shinji started. "N-noo… No," he stammered, earning him a dubious glance from the man. He sighed and collected himself, explaining it the only way he could. "Miss Makinami is the pilot of Unit-05."

"Sooo, where's Asuka?" Mari asked, peering around the docks.

The German pilot chose that moment to make her entrance, stomping down the access ramp with a wheeled suitcase in tow. Wrapped up in a bulky red-brown bomber jacket, her features shrouded by a soft peaked cap worn low, the pilot seemed to be hiding, but there was no mistaking the long mane of red hair flowing in her wake.

"How is she?" Misato asked Kaji quietly.

"Taking it about as well as expected" Kaji replied, watching his ward with a worried expression. "A lot of shouting and tantrums, blaming everyone and everything else. I'm sure she's broken a few things."

"Sounds like the usual Asuka then," Misato said wryly.

"Yeah," Kaji nodded. "She's been really quiet since this morning though. I think she finally sat and read the reports."

Both adults frowned deeply at that. Shinji, who had heard it all, looked between the two and Asuka, his expression inquisitive. Unbeknown to the small group, Mari had skipped ahead to greet the red-headed pilot. A sudden bark of outrage drew their attention to the first meeting between the two girls.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Asuka roared as Mari plucked the hat right off of her head.

Ignoring the question, Mari peered at her. "Oh! You're as pretty as a princess," she stated dreamily.

Asuka spluttered, caught between her rage and the pleasure of her ego being stroked. Her face flushed a bright red as she gaped at the other pilot. Mari then floated forward and simply _sniffed_ her cheek. It was enough to send the redhead over the edge. Asuka let out a shriek of indignation and threw a punch which Mari dodged nimbly, bouncing back a few steps.

"Ooh, she's a fighter," the bespectacled girl exclaimed, grinning maniacally.

She dropped into a fighting stance, giving Asuka the 'come-hither' gesture with her fingers. The First Child gladly complied, stepping forward, a torrent of Germanic curses on her lips as she clenched her fists.

Suddenly, Misato was between them. She held her arms up, palms out at each of the two girls and levelled a heavy glare at them.

"That is enough," she snapped, facing Mari. She turned to Asuka. "That is an _order!_ "

Mari continued to smile gleefully, but relaxed and straightened up, adjusting her glasses. She tossed the hat back to Asuka, who snatched it out of the air with a growl. The redhead remained tense, gritting her teeth as she glared at the other pilot.

Looking on, Kaji gave an exaggerated shiver. "Scary," he muttered.

An apprehensive Shinji nodded in agreement. Kaji moved over to his ward and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Mari, thank you for coming to greet Asuka, but it is probably best that you leave," Misato said sternly.

The girl smiled demurely. "Sure thing, boss," she waved and began to walk away without any fuss.

"Sync test tomorrow at 1600," Misato called after her.

A flick of the hand was all the response they got, and after one last wink at Shinji, Mari got back onto her scooter and sped away. Still fuming, Asuka jammed the cap back onto her head and turned her back on the group, folding her arms as she stared at her Eva.

The two adults traded significant looks, and Misato studied the girl for moment before sighing heavily. Kaji shrugged and took hold of Asuka's suitcase. Shinji just looked uncomfortable. They waited like that for a long time, whilst Misato headed off to sign the relevant transfer paperwork for Unit-02. She shook her head when she returned and saw no change, and merely pointed at the car.

"Come on, let's get back to the city," she said.

The drive back to Tokyo-3 was an uncomfortable one, with Asuka's mood filling the car with a tense silence. Relegated to the back seat as Kaji had called shotgun on the basis of being older, Shinji felt that the single seat between himself and Asuka was a trench a mile wide. The teenager kept stealing glimpses at the girl out of the corner of his eye. He was being careful about it, afraid of getting caught lest he became a target for her anger. A wink in the rear-view mirror told him that Misato had noticed however, and he struggled to not give away his embarrassment. He knew he'd have to endure plenty of teasing for it later.

His curiosity continued to get the better of him though, and he could not keep himself from studying the First Child. What he knew of the girl left him in awe of her.

She was, to begin with, a genius, having earned herself a university degree a few years ago. She spoke three languages fluently and was a trained martial artist. On top of all that, she was credited as a military prodigy, the senior and most skilled of the Evangelion pilots, holding an honorary rank of Captain in the EAF.

It left him feeling more than a little inadequate, when compared to his own achievements, or lack thereof. The only thing he had over her was his height and his age, being six months older. He got decent grades, and his training regime had given him a state of physical fitness matched only by Toji and other members of the school's sports teams. All in all though, he just could not compete.

To look at her however, she just seemed to be like any other teenaged girl he knew, just with brighter hair than he was used to outside of Dr Akagi. She was sullen and withdrawn, but he knew that the Angel encounter during the voyage to Japan had gone badly. Unit-02 had been severely damaged in the fight as well, so she was doubtlessly in some pain. He had plenty of experience with that kind of thing.

At some point he must've forgotten himself and started staring at her, as Asuka turned and fixed him with a contemptuous stare.

"What the hell are you gaping at, you idiot?" she snapped.

"Err…" Shinji replied intellectually.

"Well?" Asuka pushed, leaning closer and pinning him down with piercing blue eyes.

"W-Well, I…." Shinji stammered helplessly.

Luckily, Kaji came to his rescue.

"Oh, that's right," he said with the air of someone having an epiphany. "You two have never properly met." He gestured at Asuka. "Shinji, this is Asuka Langley Soryu, the First Child."

Thanking Kaji silently, Shinji gave her a little wave. "N-nice to meet you."

Kaji continued. "Asuka, meet Shinji Ikari, the Second Child."

Asuka eyed him critically. "Thought you'd be taller," she said bluntly, folding her arms and leaning back into her seat where she continued to gaze out of the window.

Shinji, who was in fact almost as tall as Kaji thanks to a recent growth spurt, just blinked at her and chuckled weakly. He scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"So… Do you enjoy piloting the Eva?" he asked, thinking the one thing they definitely had in common would be a good conversation starter.

Asuka didn't bite. "Obviously."

"Err, that's good then," he grimaced.

The girl seemed unwilling to talk. Glancing at the two adults, neither seemed to be volunteering any more help. He could feel Misato watching him periodically in the mirror though, and Kaji was obviously listening intently. It seemed they wanted him to try getting through to her.

Shrugging, he tried again. "I noticed Unit-02 is red."

"I like red," Asuka replied simply.

"My Eva is purple," Shinji told her, instantly wondering if he had the conversational talent of a five year-old child.

Asuka seemed not to notice. "You still pilot the Test-Type?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes," Shinji answered, frowning at her reaction.

"Pah, I thought they would've upgraded you by now," she said, her tone bordering on disgust. "This is why you couldn't keep up with me during the exhibition. If you ask me, Unit-01 should've been trashed years ago."

"Hey!" Shinji cried defensively, surprising himself. Despite how terrifying and wrong it was, he'd grown quite attached to the Eva over the years. It made him feel safe, and above all, it was _his_ Eva.

Asuka forged on, ignoring him. "Now my Unit-02," she said in a superior tone, as if she was lecturing him. "Was built specifically for combat. It is the first _true_ Evangelion that all the others have been based off of. "She smiled slyly. "They probably won't be needing you anymore now that I'm here. How you've managed to defeat three Angels so far is a miracle."

"Asuka, you were brought here to support Shinji, not replace him," Misato interrupted. "Shinji has the most real combat experience against the Angels and Unit-01 has performed admirably."

"I've clocked in hundreds of hours in the simulators," Asuka sniffed. "Fine, so long as he doesn't get in my way. I'll show you how a real Evangelion pilot deals with an Angel."

Feeling more than a little insulted, Shinji looked to Misato, who shrugged, shaking her head. Sighing, he turned to his own window and pulled out the S-DAT, resolving to ignore the girl for the rest of the journey. In the front of the car, Kaji and Misato shared a look and rolled their eyes. It seemed that getting the pilots, Mari included, to get along was going to take a lot of time and effort.

/o\

\o/

Asuka squirmed uncomfortably under Gendo's scrutinisation. He hadn't done or said anything since she'd arrived with Kaji but watch her silently, although she wasn't even sure he was doing that. With the artificial sunlight flooding in through the large windows, the man was practically a silhouette, and his opaque orange spectacles hid his eyes even further. Only a small gesture from one hand to indicate where she should stand gave any indication that he was not in fact merely a statue of the Supreme Commander of NERV.

She knew what he was trying to do, sat with his hands tented, a shadowy overlord seated at the head of a sephirot carved into the floor. Knowledge did nothing to lessen the effect however, and the girl felt tiny before him, despite standing whilst he sat.

Thankfully she had Kaji offering some silent support, helping her to keep her head held high. Her guardian was stood several steps behind her, appearing relaxed as ever, but there was something about the way he held his briefcase that betrayed his tenseness.

When she thought she was finally about to break, Professor Fuyutsuki cleared his throat softly and broke the silence. As if taking it as a signal, Gendo moved, inhaling through his nose as he leaned back in his seat. He lowered his hands and placed them on the desk in front of him before speaking.

"Do you understand what your actions have caused, Miss Soryu?" he asked, his voice echoing loudly in the cavernous office.

Asuka stood to attention as if she was on military parade, determined not to let him see any of her fear. "Yes, sir," she replied.

It was the truth. She wasn't stupid, and she knew that it was more than just the physical damage and the loss of life that was the problem. There was both political fallout and the matter of social-perception of the organisation and of herself.

That was perhaps the part that hurt the most. That people were blaming _her_ for the deaths of those sailors and the sinking of multiple ships, many of which had been pre-Impact vessels. She was supposed to be the face of NERV, the brilliant and beautiful First Child, hero of humanity. Instead she was being derided as irresponsible at best, and a criminal at worst. Even the weakling Second Child had a better reputation than her, despite the damages caused in his own engagements.

Gendo nodded at her answer. "Then you understand how disappointed I am in you?"

Asuka blinked. "Yes, sir," she repeated.

Eyeing her critically, Gendo paused, then picked up a newspaper from amongst a pile of documents strewn across his desk. "Unofficial sources claim that NERV's Evangelion was acting against orders," he read aloud. "This led to the destruction of multiple ships at the Angel's hands. The monster was ultimately destroyed by the Evangelion, which ripped the creature apart like a savage beast after sustaining heavy damage."

He glanced back up at her, turning the paper around so she could see the title of the article, ' _UN Fleet Decimated by Angel Attack'._ A grainy photo accompanying the article depicted Unit-02 lying on top of Matarael's corpse.

"I want you to understand that this is not the kind of publicity NERV needs, Miss Soryu," Gendo all but growled at her.

Asuka swallowed, nodding stiffly as she clenched her fists, angry at everyone and everything.

"Obviously they were too lenient in Berlin, but whilst you are on my base, you will _know your place_ ," Gendo continued, his stern yet calm voice somehow a hundred times more frightening than if he had been shouting. "No matter what ranks are bestowed upon you, whilst there is but a single superior present, you do not have the authority to launch an Evangelion. PHD, Captain, above it all you are a NERV pilot, and so you will follow orders or I will have you replaced. Have I made myself clear, Miss Soryu?"

By this point, Asuka was shaking, fighting to hold back the angry tears building up inside of her. He couldn't take the Eva away, it was everything to her. Her whole life had been focused around it, she couldn't bear the thought of losing it. It would be beyond devastating.

She nodded again and replied through gritted teeth. "I understand, sir."

Gendo continued to stare at her a moment longer, then tented his hands once more, "Good. You are dismissed."

The teenager gave a stiff salute and turned to leave. It took every ounce of her strength not to flee the office, and she left briskly, her head down. Once she had gone, Kaji stepped forward, his expression pained.

"Do you object to how I handled that, Mr. Kaji?" Gendo asked him.

Kaji sighed and shook his head. "No, I just…"

"Perhaps you were a little hard on her, Ikari," Fuyutsuki said softly, interrupting the other man.

Gendo made a noncommittal noise. Frowning, Kaji placed the briefcase on the table, unlocking it and flipping it open. Digging inside, he took out a pair of manila folders and dropped one in front of the commander.

"This is everything I could get my hands on," Kaji told him. "SEELE's arctic retreat is much bigger than we thought."

Fuyutsuki leaned over curiously as Gendo inspected the first folder, opening it to reveal a number of photographs. Three distinct humanoid bodies submerged in LCL, malformed and in the process of being outfitted with heavy cybernetics.

"Only three?" Fuyutsuki murmured, a little dismayed.

"That we know of," Gendo replied thoughtfully. "The old men have a lot of practice at keeping things hidden."

Kaji nodded. "Indeed, and their reach extends even to the moon." He dropped the second folder on top of the first. "From what I can tell this is just the tip of the iceberg."

The second folder seemed to be mostly scrambled documents mixed in with vague images of blueprints and a number of satellite photos of the moon itself.

"Not much to go on," Fuyutsuki pointed out.

"I know, but short of physically going up there, we aren't going to be able to get much more," Kaji shrugged. "It could be either SEELE's trump card or their failsafe…."

"Or both," Gendo growled.

"Exactly. We've got references to the 'Vessels of Adam' and the lances, although for the most part it focuses on Instrumentality and an Impact-event." He leaned over and tapped on the blueprint images. "These seem to indicate that they are building some kind of Evangelion up there though, and estimates say that the lunar station is certainly big enough to house a production facility."

Gendo frowned heavily, running a hand through his short beard. "Interesting," he muttered.

"It seems they are putting everything they've got into this project, Ikari," Fuyutsuki warned. "We'll need to be careful about how we act from now on."

"It is of no concern," Gendo smirked, causing the old professor to sigh. He looked up at Kaji. "You have something else for me?"

Kaji smirked right back at him, pulling a portable hard-drive out of the briefcase. "Everything on the Nagisa Series Dummy Plugs," he replied smugly. "There's probably enough there to have Akagi whip up her own."

"Excellent," Gendo replied, taking the drive and examining it carefully. "The subject?"

"Still an enigma. We're pretty sure it's a boy though," Kaji shrugged. "There are references to the name in the files."

Gendo nodded and put the drive down, prompting Fuyutsuki to change the subject. "So, do you intend on remaining here in Tokyo-3, Inspector?"

"For now at least," Kaji replied, dropping his hands into his pockets. "Got an apartment picked out for me and Asuka. Figured that if it's working for Katsuragi and your son, it'll work for us. A normal life might do the girl some good."

"Very well, if she remains under control, I have no issue," Gendo replied. "That will be all."

Shutting the briefcase, Kaji bowed his head to both men and began to walk away. Gendo bent down over the documents, sliding several over to Fuyutsuki.

"I'll be in touch, Mr Rouji," Gendo called after him.

/o\

\o/

"Oh, you just couldn't keep yourself away from me, eh, Misato~" sang Kaji as he opened the door the next morning.

He leaned against the frame, fixing the Major with a sultry gaze. His hair was down, the ubiquitous ponytail absent, and he wore only a vest and jogging bottoms. The rumpled appearance, more than usual for Kaji, made it obvious he had not long gotten out of bed. Misato sniffed and stared at him wearily, unimpressed.

"We're just here to pick Asuka up," she explained with a sigh.

"Now now, Misato," Kaji continued, waving a finger in mock admonishment.

"There's no need for excu…"

He blinked and looked to the side, spotting Shinji shifting awkwardly beside Misato. The teenager chuckled weakly and waved.

"Err, hi, Mr Kaji."

To his credit, the spy recovered quickly, winking at the pilot and smirking. "Ahh, of course, you have a new man in your life now. I do hope he is seeing to your nee-" Misato flicked him square in the forehead. "Ow."

"Get out the way, Kaji," Misato growled, and pushed him back into the apartment so they could enter. "Honestly, everyone just has to make that comment, it's like they don't trust me at all."

Shinji followed. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Where's Asuka, then?" Misato asked, still holding Kaji at arm's length, her palm against his chest.

"Probably still in bed," Kaji replied still smirking. "You remember what she's like."

He twisted, raising a hand up to Misato's, who calmly slapped it away.

"Which room?"

Pouting, Kaji pointed to a hallway on the other side of the room. "Second door on the left."

Head high, Misato marched off towards Asuka's room, leaving Shinji alone with Kaji. The teenager was studying the apartment intently, even if much of it was hidden behind small mountains of boxes, most of which were labelled as belonging to Asuka in red marker pen.

"Naturally, she chose the biggest room," Kaji explained to the boy with a knowing look. "Teenaged girls, they're a law unto themselves, right kid?"

Shinji just blinked at him, nonplussed.

"You're a quiet one, aren't you, Ikari?" Kaji said, walking over to the kitchen area.

"Uhh… I guess," Shinji allowed, shrugging. "I just don't like to make a fuss."

Kaji eyed him. "Fair enough. Up until you came along, I was convinced there was something in the LCL that made pilots loud and difficult to control." He paused, tilting his head. "Then again, maybe it's just the girls."

His comment was punctuated by the sounds of muffled yelping from the bedroom. Both men glanced at the corridor and raised an eyebrow.

Picking up a hairband from the countertop, Kaji smirked. "That quietness though, it's refreshing, in a way. And it seems to have done Katsuragi a lot of good."

"You seem to know Miss Misato very well," Shinji noted with a hint of curiosity.

"Of course," Kaji replied, drawing his hair up into its customary ponytail. "We went to college together, although she's a little more stable than she was back then. I guess I have you to thank for that."

Shinji opened his mouth to question that, but was interrupted by Misato's return. She stomped back into the room with an exasperated look that swiftly became suspicion when she saw the two men obviously in mid-conversation.

"I wouldn't talk to this scoundrel too much, Shinji," Misato growled, glaring at the older man. "He'll fill your head with bad habits."

"I'm wounded, really, Katsuragi," Kaji said, placing a hand over his heart.

Misato ignored him, stepping aside as Asuka appeared behind her. The girl entered the room groggily, her stride shuffling. Eyes bleary and clothing dishevelled, she had obviously been suddenly awoken by the Major, and looked all the more sour for it.

Sighing, Misato began herding the girl towards the door, beckoning for Shinji to follow. "Come on, kids. It's testing day and Ritsuko's waiting. We've got a long day ahead of us."

"Have fun!" Kaji called after them.

Misato stopped to give him one last look, then slammed the door. Left alone in the apartment, Kaji sighed and looked around at the piles of Asuka's belongings.

"I know I won't…"

/o\

\o/

Asuka slowly perked up over the ride down to the geofront, aided in no small part by the fact that Misato insisted on keeping the windows open the entire trip, blasting the girl with a steady stream of cool morning air. Her initial tired and annoyed demeanour was slowly replaced by an excitable haughtiness, and Misato and Shinji were forced to endure a never ending monologue of how brilliant she was and how she was going to show Shinji what a 'real' Eva-pilot's sync-score looked like.

When the time finally came to go and get suited up, Shinji was glad for the respite. He was well aware how high Asuka's sync score was, certainly higher than his and even Mari's, but he wasn't _that_ far behind.

He tuned her out as they entered the pribnow box, letting her voice merge with the constant chatter of technicians and machinery. Mari was already getting seated into her testing plug when they entered, and she smiled and waved enthusiastically at the pair. Her piercing gaze was enough to make Shinji feel uncomfortable in his plugsuit for the first time in years. He scurried over to his plug quickly, thankful for its lack of windows.

The tests got underway slowly, as Ritsuko and Lt. Ibuki ran through the extensive checklists necessary to begin synchronisation and start recording data. In that time, the three pilots were required to remain quiet, focusing only on being as close as possible to the Eva.

Video feeds within the control room showed the three pilots, each with their own slightly different expression as they meditated. All three had their eyes closed, leaning back in their seats and gripping the control yokes lightly. Shinji frowned slightly, looking troubled in comparison to Asuka's slight smirk and Mari's oddly serene expression.

It took several hours, as the scientists switched and changed numerous variables at Ritsuko's behest. It was a long and involved process, as even just a few weeks could mean sync scores were thrown off by minute changes in a teenager's thought patterns and moods. The updated hardware and software in the A-10 clips also meant that Dr. Akagi pushed her team harder than usual, as she sought to work out the kinks in the technology and coax out the best scores possible.

Eventually, Dr Akagi was satisfied and ended the tests, allowing the pilots to properly relax. After a few moments, Shinji and Mari's plugs began to drain of LCL. Asuka squawked in confused indignation when her plug began to move instead of draining.

Ritsuko stepped up to a microphone. "Asuka, we'd like you to remain just a little longer, we need to verify the results against your records from Berlin. We're just moving you to the simulation chamber." The redhead nodded in acquiescence, but grumbled anyway as her plug was lifted up by a mechanical arm and sped out of the chamber on rails. Ritsuko turned to look at the other pilots as they climbed out of their respective plugs. "Shinji, Mari, you're free to go home now. Thank you."

Turning, the scientist looked back across the room to see Gendo stood in the doorway. She approached him, and he stepped back into the corridor where they could talk privately. He said nothing, expecting the doctor to know what he was asking without being prompted. Ritsuko, long used to the Commander's ways, simply began reporting.

"Results are as expected. Shinji's potential is seemingly high as ever, and he continues to grow at a steady rate. He's a lot more stable than he used to be as well, but the variance is still high and it makes him less reliable than I'd like."

Gendo nodded, and she continued.

"Asuka, unfortunately seems to have hit a plateau. Her growth has been negligible for a while now, and even if she currently has the highest sync scores, the other pilots will overtake her in a matter of months. It seems as though training has its limits in what we can expect."

"She is still useful," Gendo replied. It was both a statement and a question.

"Of course, she's our best pilot on paper at least." She frowned and glanced down at the clipboard she cradled to her chest. "It's just, the readings we keep seeing with Shinji showed up with Asuka during her sortie, and again I've been unable to replicate them. I'm running some additional tests with her, but I'm not hopeful for much."

"I am not overly concerned, they are proving beneficial to us."

"I understand that, but… Surely you've seen what the tabloids are calling Unit-02?"

" _The_ _Beast_?" Gendo raised an eyebrow. "It is just a name, Akagi, I care little. What interests me more is whether or not the First is suitable for the project."

"Yes, of course. We're prepping her for simulations now. Preliminary data will be ready for processing later today."

"Good. Appraise me when you're done." He paused meaningfully there, without waiting for a reply, he turned to walk away, leaving Ritsuko to nod at his back. She frowned slightly, but returned to the testing chamber, barking orders to Maya and the other technicians.

/o\

\o/

After enduring a night of teasing from a drunken Misato, Shinji was glad to return to school. Despite the obvious segregation of their respective plugs, Misato thought it funny to ignore that and commend him on the self-control he exhibited. After all, not every teenaged boy could say they had spent long hours with two girls clad only in skintight clothing.

Yet again Shinji wished he could control his embarrassment, especially after living with the Major for so long. Flushing red and squeaking only seemed to spur her on.

"She'll be joining your class as well, Shinji," Misato had said over dinner.

"I thought she had already been to college?"

"She has, but it'll help her settle down better," Misato explained. "She needs to practice her Japanese and learn our culture. It might be good to spend some time around kids her own age for a change as well."

"I see."

"And you know, being in the same class and all, gives you guys plenty of chances for an old-fashioned high-school romance!" Misato winked at him, a cat-like grin spread on her face.

The teenager just buried his face in his hands whilst his merciless guardian and her right-hand penguin cackled at him.

Always early to rise, he escaped before she woke up, and as such was one of the first of his class to arrive. He smiled genially at the few others present and made his way to his desk and took a seat. He removed his earplugs slowly and carefully, setting them down on the desk and looking up just in time to see a sweaty red bespectacled face lunge right up to his own.

Shinji leapt back in his seat in response to Kensuke's unexpected charge, leaning back almost enough to topple over as his friend slammed both hands down on the desktop and looked down at him.

"Why didn't you tell us Miss Soryu was a total babe?" he cried, his voice shrill with exertion.

Shinji just blinked at him. The other boy was panting, evidently having been running, and his camera dangled around his neck. "W-What?"

Kensuke actually palmed his face in an exasperated fashion. "Hot. Redhead. Pilot," he replied, grabbing Shinji's arm and dragging him over to the windows. Hearing this, several other boys looked up interestedly and also ran over to join them, much to the disgust of the girls present.

Stumbling and off balance, Shinji fell against the window, finding Kensuke far too close once more as his friend draped an arm around his shoulders and pointed.

"Look, there. By the gates."

Groaning as by way of protest, Shinji looked out, easily able to pick out the blaze of red moving across the yard. The gates were practically surrounded, a large gaggle of students, predominantly male, gathered around to witness Asuka's arrival. The girl seemed to be in her element, strutting through the crowd with her head held high, a self-assured smile upon her face. Kaji could be seen outside on the road, leaning against the side of a white convertible. Smoke drifted lazily into the air from a lit cigarette in his hand, a bemused smirk upon the guardian's face.

"Smokin', right?" Kensuke said, and Shinji heard several other mutterings from the other boys in the room.

"I guess… There are lots of pretty girls here though."

Kensuke looked at him like his was deranged. "But she's _European_!"

The pilot just shrugged. "I think she's quarter-Japanese."

Sighing, Kensuke lifted his camera to his eyes. "You're not normal, you know that, Shinji?"

Unsure whether to be offended by that or not, especially coming from the perverted otaku himself, Shinji just frowned and returned to his desk. There had been a similar reaction when Mari had first come to Tokyo-3, and he was sure once they got to know her, they'd put off by Asuka's foul temper as much as they were by Mari's absurdity.

Well, maybe everyone except Ken…

The rest of the day went as well as to be expected. Asuka did indeed join Shinji's class, brought in with their old teacher. The girl introduced herself with much fanfare and flourish, plastering her name in large letters across the board in both English and Japanese characters. Rather unlike Shinji however, Asuka had no qualms about introducing herself as the pilot of Evangelion Unit-02, pointedly referring to herself as the most senior pilot and giving Shinji a significant look.

Her announcements were met with an uproar, with most of the students rushing over to get close, bombarding the redhead with question after question, be it about the Evas or her hair care products.

Mr. Maruyama gave up trying to regain order after several failed attempts, simply gesturing to Hikari with a plea for help. The class representative slammed a book down on her desk with all the force of a bomb, the sound enough to give everyone a pause, quieting them long enough to allow the teacher chance to usher everyone back to their seats.

After that, things progressed much as they normally would, Maruyama droning on through subject after subject whilst the students attentions slowly lessened and they grew listless with the heat. Asuka brazenly buried herself in a handheld console, paying perfunctory attention whenever directly asked a question or during the language sections.

When the lunch break came around, she was quickly whisked off by a group of girls, and was lost in amongst a cacophony of rapid-fire questions and girlish squealing. Shinji and his friends took their usual spot up on the rooftop.

"So, Asuka seems to be popular," Hikari pointed out, demurely dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.

"Well duh, transfer kids always are!" Toji blurted out.

"Helps that's she's good looking, though," Kensuke replied, perhaps a little dreamily. He had his camera out again, and was cycling through the pictures he had taken earlier.

Hikari sighed. "It's more likely that she's German. We haven't had any foreign students for years, it makes her interesting." She set aside her lunch primly. "Don't think I won't confiscate that camera, Aida. I know full well you don't have Asuka's permission for those photos."

The boy blanched a little, then carefully lowered the device and hid it safely away within his bag.

"You've met her a couple of times, Shinji," Hikari continued. "What do you think of her?"

The pilot looked up, clearly hoping to have avoided the conversation. "Well, er…" he began uncertainly, then frowned. "She's… loud."

"Loud?"

"Yeah. And she's smart, and a really good pilot," Shinji explained. "But she's got a really big personality, in that you can't help but _know_ she's around, cos she won't let you ignore her… I don't know, it's kind of hard to describe."

Hikari looked thoughtful. "I think I understand."

Shinji nodded. "I don't know though, in some ways she seems kind of… childish." He frowned, shaking his head a little. "Miss Misato asked me to look after her, help her make friends and stuff. It doesn't seem necessary… but she wouldn't have said it for no reason."

"True enough," Hikari replied. "I'll speak to her once the excitement dies down. She could probably use at least one girl not fawning over her." The class rep shook her head with a wry smile, obviously unhappy with the way the other female students had been acting towards Asuka.

Shinji smiled. "I think that would be good."

Kensuke piped up. "I could…"

"No!"

/o\

\o/

The latter half of school passed without incident, and when the bells rang the student body poured out of the gates, collectively weary but happy, basking in the near-constant summer Tokyo-3 experienced.

"See ya, Shinji!"

The pilot waved cheerily as his friends left, before turning and heading into the tram station. Still being very much a solitary person, once away from his friends, Shinji was quick to pill out his old SDAT. Affixing the plugs into his ears, the pilots stride became much more leisurely and relaxed as he let the familiar melodies fill his consciousness.

It gave him a facsimile of isolation, despite him never truly being alone. Aside from the near-constant, but distant presence of Section 2 agents, Shinji's fame often preceded him. Random passers-by would often wave or nod to him, and his fellow students even more so. Of course, yet more still barely recognised him, unless they knew his name. He'd always had a rather unassuming appearance, and it was easy for him to blend in and be just another student.

People had a hard time relating the quiet and polite teenager with the heroic pilot of the Evangelion. News pieces reinforced this, and would often use the same stock photo on every story, taken during a demonstration months before the first attack. The photo had him as an athletic young man stepping out the entry plug, clad in a sleek, blue and white armoured plug suit. Still dripping with LCL, which glistened in the sunlight, his face was tired yet determined, making him look every inch the hero they expected.

His deeds fed social perception further, and to many he was Shinji Ikari, Defender of Tokyo-3 and Slayer of Monsters. The whole thing was more than a little embarrassing to the teenager, but he was humbled by being a symbol of strength and hope to many people. He'd come so far since arriving two years ago, that lonely, meek young boy just looking for acceptance.

He reached the station shortly, trotting up the steps to the platform. The crowd was busy again today, as it had been since the last Angel attacked. The battle against Ramiel had caused collateral damage much like any other, but had predominantly affected the transport routes, particularly along the main highways, shredded and buckled by Unit-05's passing.

Still, it was nothing the Fortress-City wasn't prepared for, and in the wake of the battle, alternate routes had been opened up, and additional train services made available to allow the population of Tokyo-3 to continue about their daily lives without much disturbance. Repairs had begun almost immediately, and progressed quickly enough that just two weeks later, they were almost complete.

The city was quickly returning to its natural flow, enough that it was hard to believe there had even been attack at all, discounting the half-disassembled crystalline corpse in the city centre. People found it tremendously easy to return to their daily lives, and even Shinji, very much at the centre of it all was able to get carried away and return to routine, putting the Angels at the back of his mind.

He weaved his way through the crowd, and with a quick look at the arrivals board, found an empty seat and made his way over to it. Dropping down, he relaxed back against the hardwood and exhaled calmly, focusing on his music and the warm sunlight, letting his eyes droop.

A shadow loomed over him minutes later, blocking the sun. His vision, fixed on the concrete slabs at his feet was suddenly filled by a pair of slender, pale legs and a light blue skirt. He blinked, focusing, and found himself tracing his vision up those legs and over a familiar school uniform until he saw vibrant red hair and a face marred by a seemingly permanent half-scowl.

Brown eyes met blue, and Asuka sniffed, tossing her hair contemptuously over her shoulder.

"Second," she said, by way of greeting.

"Err… hello?" he ventured, reaching up to pull out an earplug.

Hand on a hip, she looked away dismissively. "You live near me, so I'm coming with you," she told him, her tone a little annoyed.

Shinji shrugged. "Ok."

She glanced at him, her nose scrunched up angrily, then spun around so her back was to him. "Fine."

A little confused, Shinji raised an eyebrow, but dismissed her behaviour and leaned back against the bench. Nothing more was said, and Asuka began to tap her foot against the stone impatiently, sighing angrily once or twice.

The tram arrived shortly after, and Shinji stood, motioning for the girl to follow him. The joined the crush of commuters and managed to get aboard, somehow staying together. The tram rapidly filled up and Asuka got pressed up against his back, falling into him as the tram started moving. He braced, holding tightly onto a handhold, keeping the two from falling into the crowd. He could hear her grumbling angrily the entire time, but she subsisted after a short while.

Shinji contented himself with watching the city pass by the windows. Shining steel and glass towers reaching up to grasp at the blue sky, the sight a peaceful montage set to the backdrop of his music and the electronic hum of the tram. He could feel her fidgeting occasionally against his back, and her breath fluttered around his neck warmly.

The crowd shifted and rocked, and after a few stops, he looked back and nodded to the irritated looking girl and made for the doors.

"I can't believe they cram so many all onto one train like that!" Asuka growled as she followed him across the platform.

Shinji hummed by way of response, and she growled wordlessly and stomped passed him. They exited the station into one of the larger residential districts of the city, made up of numerous white apartment complexes, broken up occasionally by gatherings of small businesses and large family homes.

Asuka paused as she reached the pavement, glancing around at the area. Shinji, trailing behind, watched her, and after a moment's hesitation, she nodded to herself and began to walk off, completely in the opposite direction to where she lived. He realised then that she was lost, and had come to him because she was unsure of the way home, though was obviously too proud to ask for help.

"Miss Soryu? You're going the wrong way," he called after her.

She stopped and turned around. "I knew that, Second."

Seething, she strode back past him, her fists clenched tight. Shouldering his bag, Shinji gave an exasperated sigh and followed. As if sensing him behind her, Asuka's head lifted and she looked around, planting her fists on her hips.

"Are you following me, Second?"

"No. My building is a little down the road from yours," he replied.

"Fine," she sniffed, and began walking again, calling back over her shoulder. "Don't think I can't feel you staring. Pervert."

Shinji just rubbed his face and pinched his nose, biting back the urge to dispute the notion, somehow knowing it'd do him no good. She was just in his field of view, he'd hardly been staring.

Thankfully, it was only a short walk, and they reached Asuka's complex shortly, which she was able to recognise. She promptly headed off down the path without word. Shinji stopped at the end of it, still trying to work her out.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Soryu," he called after her politely. The redhead barely looked around, waving a hand dismissively and continuing into the building with her nose high. As soon as she was gone, the teenager felt his body relax, unaware of the tension it had been holding, and sighed heavily.

/o\

 _So Asuka never fails to make an impression. Next chapter we'll see a little more from her side of things._

 _Can't believe it took me this long to get this chapter out, especially since I already had it written. Life takes me away I guess._

 _Slow, and shambling, but this is no deadfic. Spread the word of its existence, and leave a review!_


	12. Chapter 11 - Danger in Darkness

**Chapter 11**

"So, you're sure we can trust this Kaji?" Jushiro asked for perhaps the hundredth time.

Misato sighed and put down her glass. "Yes, Asari," she replied tiredly. "He's an ass, but we can trust him."

"Fine, fine. I'm just trying to make sure." The old soldier took a mouthful from his own glass and set it down, shifting around to get a little more comfortable. His injuries still made him ache occasionally.

They had chosen to meet in the same bar as before, and ensconced themselves within the small booth in the corner once again. It was the weekend, and the place was busy with large groups of military personnel looking to blow off steam, but they saw that as a positive, the noise would help to mask what they talked about. That, and anyone who wasn't a drunken soldier would stand out as suspicious.

Misato had asked Kaji to meet them here a few days previously, and he'd agreed. Unfortunately, he was running late, and it was making her companion paranoid. Jushiro already disliked the man for his general scruffiness, and tardiness just made things worse.

"Well aren't you a battleaxe," a jovial voice broke into the booth.

Jushiro's frown became a glare, and he looked up at the shadowed figure standing over them, the red glow of a cigarette visible hanging from his mouth. He growled at him. "Have some respect. I was fighting back when you were a just squawking child."

Kaji's smirk could be felt more than seen. With a groan, Misato reached out and grabbed his shirt, forcing him into the booth and onto the bench. "Sit down, Kaji."

He sat, pulling an ashtray over and stubbing out his cigarette. The slight smirk still in his face, Kaji slouched back on the seat and eyed the them.

"Well, I'm here. What do you guys need help with?"

Misato exchanged a glance with Jushiro, biting her lip nervously. "NERV has a lot of secrets," she explained. "Secrets that are being actively covered up. We want to know why."

Kaji's smirk remained, but the jovial light behind his eyes seemed to fade a little. "Why?"

"It's just a feeling, a sense of dread I can't shake," she answered, voice dropping lower.

"And what brought this on?"

"A number of things," Misato replied, reaching up to clasp at the pendant she wore. "The world hasn't been right since Impact, but... the pilots. Why do they have to be so young?"

Kaji frowned at that, and Misato continued.

"Jet Alone, the original. I was aboard that thing... I'd done everything I could, but it was still going to blow." She shook her head. "Someone shut it down remotely. And that makes me think of sabotage."

Jushiro cleared his throat. "Then there's the whole Shamshelim thing. Nobody knows about that outside of NERV, and worse, nobody knows how it actually died."

"The explosion didn't kill it?" Kaji asked, leaning forward.

"No. Someone in full body armour walked up and tore it's head off."

Kaji blinked. "What?"

"That's the thing. And nobody knows who it was or where they came from, because nobody saw them."

"It seems like pure chance that we have no footage of it dying, but it's not impossible with the MAGI tied into the city," added Misato. "The Commander also seems to have been missing at the time. He left midway through the chase."

"And so you think he sent the killer?"

"Exactly."

Kaji looked momentarily dubious and Jushiro cleared his throat. "NERV's got secrets, that is obvious. Nobody really knows why most of the Angel attacks have been focused here, and very few understand the Evangelions beyond the most basic information." He shifted again, expression pained. "HQ is already huge, big enough that we barely use most of the space down there, but there are tunnels going deeper still. It's not unreasonable to assume there could be things buried down there, old experiments and equipment from NERV's founding."

"Man, you'd give some conspiracy nuts a run for their money," Kaji joked, slouching back into his seat.

Misato rolled her eyes. "Show him," she groaned.

Jushiro sniffed and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, tattered piece of paper. He unfolded it and placed it down on the table, sliding it over to Kaji. A small smirk still upon his face, Kaji shrugged and reached over to pick it up almost derisively.

The smirk broke, freezing awkwardly on his face. He licked his lips, staring at the roughly drawn image; an upside down triangle, seven eyes arrayed over the entwined images of a snake and an apple. He crushed the paper with the barest hesitation and fixed the old soldier with a dark glare.

"Where did you find this?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Jushiro frowned, exchanging glances with Misato. "It was on some broken equipment in the tunnels below HQ…"

"Has anyone else seen this?" Kaji snapped.

Misato grabbed his arm, confused. "Just us… Kaji, what the hell?"

"Stop looking."

"What?"

"Stop. Forget your saw this and move on. No more searching for answers."

"Why?"

"Told you he wouldn't help us," Jushiro growled.

Misato shook her head. "Kaji, you can't just…"

"No Misato," Kaji cut over her. "Take my seriousness as a sign. There are some things that a better off not being known. This," he shook the crumpled drawing. "Is dangerous. Far, far more dangerous than you realise."

"This has to do with Impact, doesn't it?" Misato growled. "I know it does. There's no point in hiding it, Kaji. I was there!"

"And don't you think they know that?" he shot back. "You're a gifted commander, yes, but why do you think they chose you, relatively unproven until just a few months ago, over generals with decades of experience?"

Dawning fell over her. "To keep me close…" she murmured.

Kaji nodded gravely. "Because of who your father was." He sighed, rubbing at his face tiredly. "You're in far too dangerous a position already for me to let you get involved anymore. This isn't just a case of losing your job or being court-martialed. You'll be killed, completely erased, and those around you will suffer the consequences."

"Shinji…" she breathed.

"Exactly," Kaji nodded at Jushiro. "And you, I see that ring on your finger. You're a family man, aren't you."

Asari stared at him darkly. "Yes."

There was a moment of silence, as the weight of the situation pressed down upon them. Misato drained her glass and dropped it heavily onto the tabletop. Kaji studied them both, looking upwards as he sighed heavily.

"Look. If the time comes, I will tell you what you need to know." He shook his head. "Until then though, no more digging… Please."

They exchanged looks again, Jushiro glancing at his wedding band, Misato touching her pendant once more. They nodded glumly. Shifting, Kaji raised a hand, calling over a waiter for drinks, and they drank in silence.

/o\

\o/

"Hello, Miss Soryu."

Asuka looked up from her game, seeing the pigtailed class representative stood before her, a lunchbox neatly wrapped in a floral napkin held in her hands. The other girl was smiling kindly, pushing up her cheeks in a way that emphasised her freckles.

This was odd. For the first few days, Asuka had barely been able to move for a huddle of girls gathering around her, peppering her with inane questions. At first, it had been wonderful, and she'd basked in the attention, but it didn't take long to become annoying. She didn't need all those simpering girly-girls, and it didn't take long to push them off, simply ignoring them did the trick for the most part.

The girl in front of her was different though. The class representative was a stern, commanding figure in the room, not one reduced to childish shrieks and gasps. Asuka hadn't seen her with the cliques of female students once.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Hello… Horaki, right?"

Hikari smiled wider. "Yes. May I join you for lunch?"

Asuka gave her a dubious look. "Sure. I guess."

The pilot swung her legs down from where they'd been propped up on the table, shutting of the console and sitting up a little straighter. Hikari swept the tabletop with her hand almost automatically as she pulled over a seat, and sat down.

"I've noticed you never seem to bring anything to eat," she said, concentrating on unwrapping her own, setting it out with measured etiquette.

Asuka grimaced a little. "Yeah, me and Kaji don't really have the time to cook anything." She shrugs. "Fast food's just easier."

"Well that's just no good," Hikari replied, her tone admonishing. "Here, have some."

The class representative pushed her lunchbox into the centre of the table, offering Asuka a second set of chopsticks with which to eat. The box seemed to hold much more food than necessary for one person, and it didn't take a shrewd person to guess that the other girl had planned out the meeting. She didn't say anything though, but took the offered utensils and dug in.

Asuka's eyes lit up as she closed her mouth around the first morsel, and she chewed slowly, savouring the taste. "Oh my god, this is so good," she groaned in a most un-ladylike manner, her mouth still full.

Hikari's beamed again. "Thank you. But I can't take all the credit, I got the recipe off of Shinji."

Asuka blinked and swallowed, screwing up her face. There was that name again, like it was following her. The entire city was enamoured with him. Just because he was tall and smelled nice and could cook. He wasn't even that good of a pilot!

"Goddamn it," she growled out in German.

"I'm sorry?"

"All I've heard since I've got here is Shinji this and Shinji that. It's making me sick." She dropped her chopsticks onto the table and leaned back, folding her arms crossly.

Hikari looked confused at Asuka's reaction. "Shinji is quite popular around here because, well, he pilots the Eva. Surely you had the same back in Germany?"

Asuka pouted. "Not like this. Everyone seems to worship the ground he walks on."

Hikari chuckled, shaking her head as if amused. "Yes, some of the girls here do go over the top. Really, he's just a normal teenager." She paused, glancing across the room at some male students by the windows that appeared to be in some debate about an anime. "Well, maybe not _normal_ , but he's certainly not some kind of superstar."

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "I think you're the sanest person I've met since I arrived here."

"I just try to act properly is all," the class rep smirked.

Perhaps for the first time, Asuka smiled back. "I think I like you, Horaki."

"Thank you, Miss Soryu," she smiled back. "Please, call me Hikari."

"Alright then," Asuka grinned, picking up the chopsticks again. She took another piece. "I suppose you can do the same."

They began to eat, and Asuka decided she could ignore the food's origins purely on the merits of its taste. Hikari was clearly a talented cook in her own right. She may have been a bit prim, sitting straight in her seat eating demurely and making Asuka feel more than a little uncultured, but she was the first non-sycophant or fangirl to talk to her.

Each time she looked up, Hikari smiled politely and continued eating, once or twice recommending a particular piece to the pilot. Not once did the girl ask about her haircare, or piloting, or sigh dreamily over Shinji or any other stupid boy. Asuka found herself relaxing. Kaji had pushed the idea of her making friends, something she really didn't care about, but maybe one wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"So, that weirdo with the glasses…"

/o\

\o/

Miles offshore, the red waves breaking into a light crimson froth around its bow, the JDS Otaka cruised out across the Pacific Ocean. Tasked with verifying an unexplained blip picked up by one of the JSSDF's sensor buoys, the patrol vessel was the only thing moving that night, its lights coupling with a waning moon to cast eerie shapes across wispy night mists.

As the buoy came into view, the ship's engines were thrown into reverse, and it slid up alongside the red and white ball, still functioning and intact. The small blinking light atop it danced merrily as it bobbed in the waves. The ship came alive at that point, men scrambling to sensor stations or lookout points, and a small team launching in a dinghy to get a closer look at the buoy itself.

The dinghy slewed around, and skipped over the waves towards the buoy, coming alongside with a series of controlled bursts from it's motor. Men within reached out, taking hold of handles dotted around its shell to brace the boat against it.

A third man quickly reached over, tools in hand and began loosening bolts on a large panel. Once he was done, a twist of a recessed handle released the water-tight seal and allowed him access to the computer within. A bulky datapad was handed over, and he plugged it in, instantly receiving months worth of sensor readouts from the buoy.

The engineer settled down in the lightly bobbing dinghy to begin inspecting the data for problems, the rest of the team sat patiently for him to complete his task.

Click click.

"You hear that?" one man said, peering around from his perch on the side of the dinghy.

The others gave him dubious looks at that statement. "Pipe down, Kadokawa," the driver said, dismissively. "It's just the engine cooling or something."

"But I thought..."

He was interrupted by a tap to the forehead. "Oi, Kadokawa. You been watching those spooky movies again? They always make you jumpy. Just relax."

The seaman didn't look to convinced, but quietened down in the face of ridicule from his fellows. Besides, he was holding onto a powerful piece of NERV-made sensor equipment. Even the blip they were investigating had been put down to 'residual matter' left over from the many Angelic incursions over the last months.

It wouldn't be hard to miss one of those things, even in this mist. The ocean was quiet, barely a breeze in the air, and the only sounds to be heard was the whirring of the buoy's hardware and the gentle slapping of water against the dinghy and nearby Otaka.

"Think I got the issue here," the engineer spoke up. "Buoy's missed a software update due to storm interference a short while back and the NERV techies never bothered to check. The blip's residual, leftover from that Angel Unit-02 tore up at sea recently. Chunks of that thing got everywhere."

"So we're done here?" the driver replied.

"Almost yeah, just requesting the update from NERV and we can be off."

Click click click.

"Ok, that time I definitely heard something," Kadokawa said insistently.

"Seriously? There's nothing out there."

"Hrm, maybe the buoy has a leak..." the engineer murmured, twisting around to check the thing's shell.

"It's not the damn buoy, it came from that way," Kadokawa snapped, pointing out east.

The driver sighed and thumbed the radio. "Otaka, see any activity out there?"

"Nothing on scope. All clear."

The driver gave Kadokawa a pointed look, that faltered when the datapad gave out a little beep, then another and another in a steady rhythm.

"Something on sonar," the engineer said.

Click clack.

"There in the mist!" Kadokawa cried.

A black shape, indistinct and wreathed in the grey-pink mist could be seen darting back and forth to the east.

"Otaka? Are you seeing this?"

"We have it. Return immediately."

The engineer unplugged his pad, and they threw the cover back down, sealing it quickly. The dinghy was moving seconds later, spinning around the buoy and back towards the patrol ship. As if in response, the black shadow seemed to surge in their direction, the mists moving with it like a cloak.

Like a thundercrack, the Otaka's cannon fired, deafening in the previous silence. There was a sound like shattering glass and a screech, and through the parting mist the sight of an insect-like creature, it's body cored by the cannon shot, could be seen collapsing back into the water.

Click click.

"There's another one!" the engineer yelped, looking north, even as Kadakawa cried out. "There, on the other side of the ship!"

Click click. Clack click. Creeeeak. Click click click.

Suddenly the shadows were everywhere, heralded by the mists that rushed towards the Otaka, encroaching upon it and swallowing it whole. From the mists came a tide of insect-like creatures, shiny black carapaces seemingly without number, that descended upon the small ship. The cannon fired again, obliterating another creature utterly, only for it to be replaced by three more, surging over their fallen ally without a pause.

Men screamed and monsters shrieked as the ship was buried in that tide. Cannon and machine gun fire broke out sporadically, but all too soon the silence returned. In mere minutes, all that remained was the skittering of chitin on metal and click of mandibles in the mist.

/o\


End file.
